


Out of the Blue

by AsgardianHorsemanship



Category: The Road to El Dorado (2000)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Backstory, Bad Decisions, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Chel gets in the way, Chel's just there to fuck it all up, Chief Tani totally ships it, Conquistador Spain, Danger, Denial of Feelings, Drinking, Epic Friendship, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, Feelings, Festivals, Friendship/Love, Homosexuality, I think Tzek ships himself and Tulio which is creepy, I'll stop tagging now, I'm Bad At Tagging, Love, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Lust, M/M, Male Friendship, Male Homosexuality, Partying, Pre-Canon, Relationship(s), Romance, Romantic Friendship, Seperation, Sexual Confusion, Swearing, Taboo, Tulio doesn't know what to do, Tulio is confused, Tulio is confused af, Understanding, Unrequited Love, Unrequited Lust, Violence, anyone else get that vibe?, cursing, drunk altivo is awesome, el dorado, just me?, lets all be confused woo, long chapters, mature chapters, mighty and powerful gods!, neither does Miguel, sexual confusion for all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-05 11:30:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4178121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsgardianHorsemanship/pseuds/AsgardianHorsemanship
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There had always been a lot of things Miguel had wished he had spoken, but right there on that boat came the realisation of just how much he had left unsaid. And when you’re waiting to die consequences no longer matter over the things you do or say. <br/>But they survive, and suddenly Miguel is overwhelmed by his recognition of his feelings and before he can say or do anything about them she’s there. The girl who is going to take Tulio away from him. He doesn’t know what to do or how to feel, he wants to hate her, hate Tulio, hate himself. <br/> He doesn’t want to live life without his partner, but he doesn’t want to spend his days watching him be happy with someone else either. </p><p> </p><p>Runs Canon Compliant with the movie from Miguel's perspective with it sometimes switching to Tulio's.<br/>Mature Chapters ahead, beware! Completely un beta'd so if you see a mistake please do point it out.</p><p>The lyrics are all from songs in Elton John's El Dorado, which by the way is a bloody fantastic album so if you love the movie go listen to it, it runs through their entire relationship from leaving Spain to leaving El Dorado and what happens after and the lyrics are so perfect, Elton ships it too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

_“Once in a while I slip back to my past_  
_Where I long to remain but the dream does not last,_  
_In the trials of the present no matter how low,_  
_You bring me such peace and you won’t let me go,_  
_For when you are laughing like silver like rain,_  
_You cool me you soothe me and love me again,_  
_For a few perfect hours the world lets me be,_  
_You know how to break down oh,_  
_The panic in me, the panic in me.” ~ The Panic in Me_

 

There had always been a lot of things Miguel had wished he had spoken, but right there on that boat came the realisation of just how much he had left unsaid. 

Waiting to die, adrift on an endless ocean he realised so many things about his life, his choices, himself. He looked from Altivo to Tulio with sore eyes, feeling the salt like an abrasive layer upon his pupils making it hard to see, hard to make out those little details that he never noticed in the everyday chaos that was his life. Those little details that suddenly mattered so much, suddenly the difficulty to see them became something awful; something unbearable and it made him want to scream but that layer of salt was in his throat as well, causing nothing but a harsh whisper to escape his lips every time he tried to speak.

He lay back against his friend, feeling that dark length of hair against the back of his neck, sea washed and course like straw poking out from a mattress. He expected his own felt the same, but he couldn’t muster the strength to raise his arm and check. His skin was sun beaten, his hands raw, his clothes chafing and yet, even in the face of death everything was okay. 

It was okay because he was with the one person in the world who really made his miserable, cheating life worthwhile. And that made those unspoken words weigh upon his heart like lead, sinking it down into his stomach and making him want to retch. How long had it been now? Six years? Seven? Since his dark, brooding companion had stepped into his life and swept him up in a thunderous storm of excitement and danger. 

He remembered it so clearly, he’d been sixteen and begging for scraps on the street. He was clever, and pretty and used that to his advantage, charming his way into tavern stables and bedrooms alike just to have a roof over his head for a night. He’d made quite a name for himself with the soldiers who patrolled the streets of Madrid, his unstoppable flair for theatricality whilst scamming the unsuspecting citizens put quite the large pay out upon his head. As it was nearing his seventeenth birthday it had all come crashing down. No parents, no home, no money, he’d gotten used to that, but when those he thought to call friends turned their backs on him in fear of retribution from the men who wanted his head he knew what it was like to be truly and utterly alone. One night he was burned from his hiding in a barn, ratted out by the one who put him up there; for a handsome hand he didn’t doubt. He fled, what choice did he have? He freed the horses from out of the barn and took one for himself; it was even enough payback he surmised when he swung onto the beast’s heaving back as it charged out into the night. He held the horse back, letting the rest sweep through the soldiers, scattering them and leaving him a clear shot out into the mountains. The soldiers had not thought to keep their horses close whilst setting the blaze in case they took fright, thinking he would either burn down with the barn or run straight into their swords. More fool them.

He ran the horse all night until he had to pull it up before it dropped underneath him in exhaustion. He had no saddle and was ill fitted to ride and so the insides of his legs were rubbed raw from pounding across the hills, he had a small purse of pesetas within his pocket and thanked whatever gods could hear him that he had not taken them out before falling asleep. He felt awful upon looking at the poor creature, some of the stallion’s chest was scorched raw by the blaze and part of its mane was missing. Blood dripped from one nostril and its head hung low. He knew they could not go on anymore tonight. He made camp in a small wooded area and tied the horse to a tree, there was nothing but the cold wind around them and he fell into a fitful sleep. He spent three days running with the horse until the beast was so tired it could run no longer. He was hungry, he was cold, he was frightened and he had never felt so alone in his life, sleep was difficult and he curled up under a bush listening to the swishing of the horse’s tail. 

Morning came and with it he stumbled through the woodland with the horse behind him, still looking as miserable as he felt, when evening came around he finally limped into a small village nestled within the mountains, dragging the defeated horse behind him. He chanced upon a small tavern as he staggered down the street and took the horse around the back, paying a sleepy young lad to feed the horse and giving him an extra coin to speak to no one of the beast’s condition. The boy bit the coin and grinned before pulling the tired animal into a ragged stable block. He figured he would sleep in there and save the coins, for who knew how long he would have to keep running; he only hoped that this place was far enough away from civilisation that they had no idea of the bounty on his head. 

He went into the tavern wearily, there were few men in there and they all turned to look at him as he entered, all hopes of going unnoticed in a busy inn were quickly out of favour. He ignored the stares, if fate were kind to him he would be long gone in a few hours after getting some food and drink into his unsettled stomach. The keeper of the tavern was a solid looking man with a permanent scowl on his face and an untrusting look in his eyes, he looked Miguel up and down as he shuffled up to the bar. 

“You look like a dead man walking, what brings a young man to these parts in the wee hours?” 

Miguel thought quickly, luckily lying came as easy to him as breathing. “My betrothed’s father found out about our secret engagement and chased me out of town, I bring no trouble with me, I just wish to rest my horse before moving on.” 

The man fixed him with a steely gaze before breaking out into a grin. “Then I welcome ye, every man here is drowning his sorrows and most of it heartbreak. Drink and sleep but do not tarry, we’ve no like for strangers around here.”

Miguel threw him a grateful smile and silently cheered that he had not had to go into any detail with his lie, for his mind was as exhausted as his body and he had no wish to create more trouble for him self through a slip of the tongue. He paid for a cold meal of leftover meat, cheese and hard bread and some ale to wash it down. He stuffed what he didn’t eat into his pockets wishing he had some form of sack and left, planning to retire to his horse’s stable. He refused the offer of the room and the man stared after him, he expected he’d be shifted out of the stables as soon as they realised so hurried as soon as he was out the door.

As he walked out the front of the tavern he became aware of quite the commotion befalling the sleepy village, he stepped away from the path to the stables and back onto the street where the shouting was hailing from. He walked forwards cautiously, his curiosity once again getting the better of him as he approached a break between two darkened houses. 

“Come here you little thief!” Roared a shadowed figure, something scrabbled away from it, hands out in front to catch them as they were hauled back by another figure that had a hold of their clothing. He heard cloth ripping and the smaller figure launched forwards, hitting the dusty ground and fumbling for purchase.

The smaller figure got to their feet and bolted, but something struck them from behind and they tumbled head over heel to land in a heap in the entry way to the alley. 

“Grab him you idiots!” Another voice cried as the smaller figure struggled to their feet. Miguel watched on in growing horror as a young boy was held up into the low torchlight from the buildings opposite. Blood dripped from a cut above his eye and from the corner of his mouth and Miguel felt himself moving closer. Soon he was hiding himself behind a tie bar for horses outside someone’s house and watching as blood bubbled from the boy’s lips as hands grasped around his throat. 

“Thought you’d get away didn’t you? You little cretin, thinking you could steal from us and get away with it, thought we were fools did ye?” The tall man holding him spat at him. 

The boy coughed blood and tried to reply, it sounded something like ‘of course I did’ and Miguel felt himself smile in spite of the scene before him. 

“You little-! Como te atreves!” The man slammed him back into the wall again and the others approached. Something glinted in the half light and Miguel sucked in a breath as he saw one pull a dagger from their belt. 

“We want our money back thief, and we want to make sure no one gets scammed by you again.” 

The boy went to speak but the man accosted him once more against the wall and cut him off, then dropped him and kicked him hard in the side. The boy rolled over, matted black hair falling across his face and into the dirt, mixing with the blood dripping from the boy’s mouth. The man took the dagger from his companion and started to kneel down and Miguel could bear it no longer. He jumped out from his hiding place, grabbing a shovel leaning against the posts as he did so and charged the man across the narrow cobblestones. 

So surprised were the men that they didn’t get out of the way in time and Miguel smashed the one holding the dagger across the face with the flat of the shovel, knocking him to the floor and into one of the other men who also hit the ground hard. He cried out in pain and clutched at his shin as the other man slumped limply to the floor. The last man advanced on Miguel, a look of angered shock clear on his face and Miguel brandished the shovel like an axe. The man took a step and Miguel slashed it through the air at him. The man dodged and elbowed him in the side, Miguel dropped to one knee as pain shot through him and the man put his hand inside the boy’s ripped shirt, drawing out a purse that clinked, clearly full to burst with coins. He raised both hands up in the air and backed off Miguel, gathering up his companion who helped him to heft up their unconscious leader and drag him away. 

Miguel watched them go before turning to the boy with concern. He pushed him up until he was sitting with his back against the wall and groaned at the effort of it. His shirt was hanging off him in tatters and was spotted with blood, the boy’s bottom lip was swollen and bleeding and his left eye was slowly turning purple. He squinted at Miguel as if unsure he was actually seeing him and then doubled over and coughed up blood. 

Miguel held the boy’s shoulder to stop him from falling into the dirt and waited for him to regain himself, then pushed the boy’s shirt back and touched his fingers lightly to the boy’s side. 

“Ahh! Why would you do that?” He yelled hoarsely before coughing violently again. 

“Sorry, I think you’ve broken some ribs, can you stand?” 

“I can stand fine just give me a minute.” The boy gritted out as he tried to stand. Miguel grabbed his forearm and helped him up, ignoring his protests and looked at him in the low light. 

The boy had long black hair tumbling in slight curls where it wasn’t matted to his face with blood. It looked like some of it had been ripped out and the back of his head was spotted red from being slammed into the wall. He looked at Miguel cautiously, like a trapped animal wondering if fighting was worth it. He was taller than Miguel by a head and skinny, too skinny. Miguel was thin but he had a corded layer of muscle on him that made him look a good weight compared to this boy. His shirt was half off of him and there were deep cuts along the boy’s torso as if he had been slashed at, perhaps by the man’s dagger. He stood with half his side dropped to keep the weight off of his injured ribs and kept silent, curious, wary eyes watching Miguel’s every move. 

“Hello there, I’m Miguel, duper, con artist and saviour of damsels in distress!” He exclaimed and held out his hand. 

“Does that make me a damsel then?” The other boy straightened up slightly, growing more confident as he gripped Miguel’s outstretched hand. “Tulio, also a duper and a con artist, though damsels in distress generally seem too much effort when there are brothels full of them not needing to be rescued.” He smirked slightly as if wanting to see the other boy’s reaction. 

“Well you said it, and why pay for it when a gracious lady may give you it for free?” 

“Exactly that reason, for the ‘may’, may is never a certainty. Not that there is anything like that here, nor any damsels either.” 

“Except you.” Miguel replied quickly with a grin. 

The boy, Tulio, dropped his head and Miguel’s hand and laughed, which soon turned into coughing and he gripped at Miguel’s arm tightly. 

“Do you have somewhere to go?” 

“Yes, I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t look fine, what did you do to those men to make them want to kill you?” 

The boy stood up as straight as he could and reached into the pocket of his breeches, only to groan aloud and look about him. Miguel joined him in looking when he saw two small pieces scattered on the floor. He knelt down and scooped them up and brought them into the light. 

“These are loaded dice?” He smirked at Tulio.

“You asked me what I did?” He replied stubbornly.

“Seems a tad harsh though, I’m assuming you took a fair lot of money from them.” 

“Four hundred pesetas to be precise.” 

“Well! No wonder! Tú estar loco, I salute you good sir.” Miguel flicked two fingers in a mock salute at the dark haired boy. 

Now that the coughing had subsided, Tulio caught his breath and looked over the other boy with completely unabashed curiosity. He was shorter by a head, with long, straight fair hair that came almost to his chin and stubble across his cheek. He was wearing ragged, dirty clothing and was scuffed with dirt and what looked like… soot? He was almost as skinny as Tulio himself and looked to be having just as bad a time of it. He smiled at the younger boy and held out his hand. 

“Thank you, for what you did back there, I thought I was a goner.”

“I did too to be honest.” Miguel shrugged and grasped his forearm and they held themselves there for a second, periwinkle blue eyes meeting emerald green as the moon started to sink. 

“Do…” Tulio dropped his gaze. “I mean, you’re in a fair state yourself, do you have somewhere to go?”

“Well,” Miguel was reluctant to let go of the other boy, fearing he’d drop if he did, “I do, sort of; I was planning to sleep in the tavern stables with my horse and then be on my way.”

“I’m not the only one in trouble I see.” Tulio concluded. 

“Not at all.” Miguel admitted. “I, like you, was caught, but whilst sleeping they sent the soldiers to smoke me out, I managed to steal a horse and escape and have been running all night. 

“You look like you could use a rest, and I owe you a favour, come lets go and fetch your horse. They’ll catch you way too easily in those stables, I know a safer place.” 

Miguel gave him a startled look and the boy dropped his arm before clapping him weakly on the shoulder. 

“Come on, it’s quite clear I don’t bite and you can easily just jab me in the ribs if need be.” 

“Well, when you offer so nicely.” Miguel beamed at him and together they staggered to the tavern and retrieved the bay stallion, who pinned his ears back at them both. Miguel felt his heart lurch; he loved animals and had been so unkind to this one when it wasn’t the horse’s fault. He dropped the reins into Tulio’s hand as Tulio went to ask him a question and ran into the tack room of the stables before sneaking back out, the stable boy was crashed in one of the stables curled up in the straw, with a sack full of oats and a couple of slightly soft apples. He proffered one to the horse and after a few stubborn moments it took it grudgingly. 

“I don’t think your horse likes you Miguel.” Tulio observed. 

“I don’t think anyone likes me to be fair.” He shrugged and turned away. 

“Well, you’re no belladonna but I like you.” Tulio said quietly, a smile playing on his face. 

Miguel turned back to him and returned the smile cautiously. “I’d hope not, I’m much prettier.” 

After being led through twisting streets, broken fencing, a meadow, through a small strip of woodland and under a bridge Miguel was beginning to despair, he was dead on his feet as was his horse. Tulio pushed through some bushes and Miguel stopped; a puzzled look across his face. 

“Well come on.” Came the boy’s voice from the shadows and Miguel took a breath before pushing through the stiff branches, his horse shoving its head through in annoyance. 

They walked through a tunnel within the bush large enough for the horse to walk through without issue and picked their way through the dark undergrowth until they came to a halt. There in front of them was a moss and ivy covered wall of sorts, but as they moved closer and the low moonlight hit it Miguel saw it to be the side of a small shack. Tulio pulled aside the hanging of ivy and opened a rickety door. 

“Take the horse through and out the other door, there is a stock out there you can tether it in.” 

Miguel walked through the door and Tulio closed it behind them. He led the horse through and put it in the rag tag stocks, emptying the oats into a broken bucket and offered it the last apple and an unwanted pat before going back inside. 

There was a scattered assortment of belongings on the floor beside a tattered mattress with straw coming out of the corners and a ratty blanket. Some clothing was draped over a spindly chair and there was an empty fire grate set into one of the walls made of poorly constructed stone. Miguel turned around in wonder at all that was alighted by the moon filtering through patches of the thinly thatched roof, which had part of it falling in. 

“I know it’s not much…” Tulio began as he lit some uneven candles littered about the place. 

“You live here?” Miguel asked without looking at him. 

“Like I said it’s not that great.” 

“Es fantastico; I’ve never had so much as a box to call my own.”

Tulio stared at him and Miguel whirled round, stopped short by his gaze. 

“Well, you can stay here as long as you like, there’s lots of straw in here you can sleep on and I have another blanket.” Tulio hesitated before reaching beside the mattress and picking up another ragged blanket. 

Miguel took it from him gently and smiled at him. 

“Thank you.” He looked around and realised there was not so much as a crumb in the shack, nor even a plate that could show Tulio kept any sort of food here. He reached into the bag he had used for the oats, which he had also loaded the left over of his meal into, and pulled out the bread and cheese and a small amount of meat. He stepped forward as Tulio dropped down sharply onto the mattress. 

He looked up as Miguel approached him and looked at the food with worried eyes. 

“Go on, I’ve already eaten and you don’t look like you have.” Miguel pushed the food into his lap and sat down beside him. 

Tulio peeled the hair off of his forehead and pushed it back, running his hand through it awkwardly as he picked up the food with the other hand. “Are you sure? This is a lot of food for just me…” 

“Of course I’m sure, you’ve had a bad day and you need some food in you.” 

Tulio looked from the food to Miguel and then back again, before tearing off a small piece of bread and putting it into his mouth slowly, and then he was tearing into the bread, all consideration forgotten as he dived into the food. 

When he was finished he looked sheepishly at Miguel and mumbled a thank you before falling back onto the bed, barely able to open his eyes. 

“Wait, do you have a bandage?” 

Tulio shook his head slowly. 

“Here, sit up and give me your shirt.” 

Tulio opened his eyes and gave Miguel a long look before sitting up with slight difficulty and shrugging off his wrecked shirt. 

“Stay still and don’t complain.” 

“I don’t compla- Ouch!” He exclaimed as Miguel wrapped the shirt around his battered torso. 

Miguel raised an eyebrow at him. “You were saying?” 

“Well it hurt.” The older boy pouted. The flickering candle light made it look as if he were about to cry and Miguel’s expression softened. 

“Sorry, I’ll try to be more careful.” 

“No, it’s okay, thank you… Again.” 

“Not at all.” Miguel beamed at him and finished the makeshift bandage. “You’re going to have a pretty nasty and rather large bruise there tomorrow I don’t doubt.”

“Not the first.” Tulio sighed and lay back down on the bed. 

Miguel sat beside him a moment longer. “Tulio, those marks on your chest.” 

“They were done before you got to me yes, by the man with the dagger.” 

“I’m so glad I heard the commotion.” 

“Why? It wasn’t anything you needed to get involved in; you could have been killed trying to help me.” 

“That’s no reason not to help someone. There’s never a reason not to help someone in need.”

“That’s a nice way to view the world, but I don’t think it really works in real life.” 

“It does, if you let it.” 

Tulio rolled over and swore under his breath before flipping back onto his back. “Damn this, I hate sleeping on my back.” 

“Unlucky my good chap.” Miguel lay his hand on Tulio’s bare shoulder a moment and got up and gathered the truly large amount of straw on the floor and laid the blanket over it, it was a warm night and he pulled off his shirt, balling it up for a pillow. He blew out all the candles and settled down onto the straw.

“I’m sorry I don’t have another mattress.” Tulio whispered as Miguel got himself comfy. 

“I’m quite content here Tulio, thank you.” 

“It’s the least I could do, good night, Miguel.” His words dropped into the darkness as he finally lost himself to exhaustion and Miguel rolled over to look at him in the darkness. He wasn’t as alone in this world as he had thought. 

***

When Tulio awoke to the late afternoon sun peeking through the patched roof the first thing he was aware of was a throbbing ache in his side, He sat up and regretted it instantly, his head swam, his face was swollen and hot and he felt as if he had been trampled by a bull. He looked down at his waist and saw the bandage and memories of the night before flooded back into his mind and he winced at them. There was a darkening of his skin around the bandage and he unpeeled it gently to see a yellowing bruise across his ribs, surrounded by splotches of purple, blue and red. He took a deep breath and tied the shirt back around himself before getting up. He looked around and felt his face drop as he saw the straw beside him empty. He tried to not feel disappointed; he knew the boy was on the run. 

He heard a quiet noise outside and stood up, then went over to the door and looked outside. Miguel was there tending to his horse, a mess of fair hair and dirty clothing. 

“I thought you’d gone.” 

“Not yet, I thought Salvador would like breakfast first.” He held up his hand, which had a bulging sack of meadow grass in it. 

“You named it?” 

“Well… yes? Saviour suits him as a name, he saved my life.” He looked surprised at the question and Tulio rolled his eyes, Miguel merely smiled in return. 

Tulio raised his eyebrows but made no comment. “You know.” He struggled to find the words. “That is to say…” 

Miguel raised an eyebrow at him. 

“You could, if you wanted to, you don’t have too, it’s only, I thought maybe…” Tulio rubbed the back of his neck and felt his cheeks start to redden. “Where are you going to go?” 

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead.” Miguel dropped his voice, that feeling of hopelessness and betrayal from yesterday creeping back into his bones. He looked up at Tulio and down to the stained skin around the makeshift bandage. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Like I participated in the running of the bulls, what about you?” 

“Like I sat on hot coal, bareback is great when you’re not running for your life but…” He made a wincing gesture towards his legs. His breeches were slightly reddened, as if his legs had been bleeding a small amount. 

“I think we’re both a bit worse for wear.” Tulio hesitated once more. “Maybe you should stay a while and rest up, you don’t have to go you know. You could stay if you wanted too.” 

“What about you?” 

“Well, I had planned to make my way to Malaga or Seville, Alicante really isn’t doing it for me,” he ran his hands through his messy hair, “I hear the sailors there love to get drunk and gamble all their spoils away. From the sounds of it would be easy pickings for a con artist there.”

“You know, you don’t sound Spanish, but you don’t look that foreign either…” His voice trailed off for a second. “That sounds like a good plan.” It was Miguel’s turn to hesitate, what was he doing? He barely even knew this boy, but, part of him didn’t want to be alone and recognised a kindred spirit in need of a friend. “You wouldn’t by any chance be adverse to a tag along would you?” 

Tulio flushed a deep red, as did Miguel, and replied to his tattered shoes. 

“I’m sure I could find space for a side kick, and neither do you, you don’t even look Spanish.”

“Side kick? I saved your sorry backside last night! I think I should be the leader here, and it’s because no soy Español.” 

“Por supuesto, not on your life, how about partners?” 

“Partners?” Echoed Miguel. “I like it.” He smiled at Tulio, all the hesitancy falling away as the older boy returned his smile.


	2. Regrets and Revelations

_“There isn't much I haven’t shared with you along the road,_  
_And through it all there’ll always be tomorrow’s episode,_  
_Suddenly that isn’t true, there’s another avenue,_  
_Beckoning the great divide.” ~ Friends Never Say Goodbye_

Tulio’s soft voice brought Miguel out of his memories. 

“Do you think those soldiers are still looking for us?” 

“Eso espero,” he croaked back, “I hope they get a right telling off when they don’t find us.” 

“What about Cortés?” 

“He has better things to worry about than two crooks adrift in one of his rowboats.” Miguel leaned back onto Tulio’s shoulder, taking comfort in the familiar feel of his friend behind him. 

“I’m really going to miss it Tulio.” 

“Miss what?” 

“This, us.” He whispered, turning his head slightly so he spoke into Tulio’s neck. “The grand adventure that was our life. 

Tulio turned his head so his cheek touched the top of Miguel’s hair. Miguel wondered if he too were remembering their escapades as young boys. They had been so young, so reckless and so happy. 

“You speak as if it’s already over old friend.” 

“I doubt there’s much point in pretending anymore.” 

“I’m not pretending, we’ll get out of this, we always do.”

“No, you get us out of it, the trouble I always get us into, I’ve really messed up this time Tulio, lo siento.”

Tulio sat up and turned shakily towards his best friend. Miguel propped himself up and looked at Tulio, it was almost comical how his hair had become so frizzy from the sea air. 

“Sorry? Por qué?” 

“I wanted that crappy map, had I not we would have taken the gold and gone off on a merry jaunt like we always do.” 

“And probably had our throats cut in the night by Peewee and his friends. Do you remember the first time we met? That night in Alicante?”

“When you were my damsel in distress?” Miguel hid a smile from his friend, they had been thinking of the exact same thing. 

“Shut up, that night you saved my life, and every night and day since then you have saved my life.” 

Miguel looked into those eyes he knew better than his own and pulled himself closer to Miguel. Altivo swished his tail at Miguel in annoyance as he leaned against the horse’s broad back. 

“As you have done for me, every night and day since old chap.”

“You’ve been the greatest treasure in my life Miguel; I’ll never repay you for that, don’t ever be sorry to me.” 

Tulio turned away and leaned back against Miguel’s shoulder, Miguel knew what that meant, those rare moments when Tulio let his feelings out were fleeting at best. Miguel slumped back against him once more, drawing strength from the warmth of his friend against him. There was so much left to say and he would never have the courage to say it. 

As the day got hotter, they exchanged few more words, for every one sapped the draining strength from them, instead they closed their eyes and leaned into each other. He turned his face into Tulio’s neck and breathed in, he smelled of salt, sweat and Tulio. Maybe Tulio didn’t notice, or just assumed his brain was heat fried, either way Tulio didn’t move as Miguel nuzzled into his neck and let out a deep breath. 

They really were dying, Tulio spoke after a while of resigned silence and he could hear it in his companion’s voice, that hopelessness, that acceptance of the inevitable. 

Then the boat bumped, Miguel barely registered as his hand which lay over the side, he had been sorely tempted to take Tulio’s which it lay against, came into contact with something incredibly hot and uncomfortable. Maybe that was what it felt like to die. He brought up his hand and let the sand drop from his palm wistfully, what useless ground type sand was, what was it doing in the middle of the ocean. 

He felt Tulio stiffen behind him and furrowed his brow, wondering what was causing his friend to tremble so, maybe he was dying, maybe… 

Sand?


	3. The Coldest Nights

_“The trail we blaze is a road uncharted,_  
_Through terror incognita to a golden shrine,_  
_No place for the traveller to be faint hearted,_  
_We are part of the sumptuous grand design.” ~ The Trail We Blaze_

Sand…?

He turned to Tulio, whose eyes were alight with glee as he leaped from out the boat crying out. They both dropped to the floor, they pure joy of land causing them to scrabble through it, kissing it as though it were the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. 

Until the skull… 

That wasn’t pleasant at all to be perfectly honest with you. Miguel spat and scrubbed at his tongue, his eyes drifting towards the bountiful greenery in front of him as Tulio struggled with the boat. Something clicked in the back of his mind and he pulled out the crackling, sun dried map and lifted it into the rays of afternoon light. 

It couldn’t be, could it? Surely not, but it had been a possibility, he was greatly a believer in such things that he often exasperated Tulio. His obsessive reading of far off tales of adventure, the heaps of stolen books about far fetched lands of myth and mystery. He would get lost in them and forget Tulio was even there sometimes. Sometimes he would sketch things, himself and Tulio riding across the imagined deserts of Arabia, or Tulio dressed as Spanish royalty, sometimes he even drew themselves as their ancestors might have looked, he had seen the English noblemen arrive upon beautiful boats to see the wonders of Spain and wished he could see what they had seen. Miguel was descended from English and American ancestry, and Tulio from English and Spanish. They were so unlike the Spaniards in so many ways that it was no wonder they stuck together. Tulio’s parents had been migrants trying to find work, Miguel’s had been once well respected travellers, he had been born in England, but could remember nothing of that time, he had known once, if only briefly before influenza took them and his entire life away from him and he ended up at an orphanage, what it was like to be wealthy and it was one of the reasons he was never as interested in gold as Tulio was. All the gold in the world cannot stop nature from taking its course, he preferred to spend his days finding adventure, for it was all one could do to make sure one day they did not look back and realise their life had been for naught. 

“You drank the seawater didn’t you?”

Tulio had a wonderful way of trying to crush his fantasies into wistful thinking, but he wouldn’t be quelled, he knew exactly what Tulio’s weakness was and he would exploit it unashamedly. Tulio caved in easily and after a brief albeit one sided skirmish with Altivo, he followed grudgingly. Miguel used his appropriated sabre to carve a path through the crowded jungle before them as Tulio cursed himself and Miguel quietly, but not quietly enough to not gain a rude gesture from Miguel in return. They wandered for many hours, finding water and wild fruit by pure chance, luckily Altivo had quite the nose for such things. 

Miguel stared at the map for a while and then pulled Tulio up onto the stallion with a great cheer, Tulio was not one to care for animals, especially horses (though he had an odd penchant for street cats), he couldn’t ride to save his life and refused to learn; finding it folly when there was only cobbled streets and buildings in Madrid. Altivo took off, sharing Miguel’s excitement. More than once Tulio found himself bumped off the horse and onto something uncomfortable and once, alive, though what it was he never had the chance to find out and was glad for it as it shot off into the undergrowth. As long as he had his partner’s waist to hold he would be fine, Miguel’s bareback riding had greatly improved since the day the two met, he could seemingly sit to anything a horse threw at him, but so often Miguel would sweep him up or even Altivo would sometimes, he seemed to take delight in dropping Tulio unceremoniously onto his back. He oft times would cause Tulio to cry out as he would hit the horse’s spine in just the right way, causing hilarity to ensue on his behalf as he clung on for dear life. It’s not as easy as one might think, for there are no hand holds on a horse’s rear end.

Miguel knew that even Tulio was coming around, though that first night within the jungle was difficult. They could find no more food and the heat was causing the fruit they had pocketed to turn sour swiftly. There was more than enough fresh water in many springs so they at least kept clean and cool. They passed through the cavern that was laid out on the map as twilight descended and decided to camp there for the night. What they had not come to think of yet was just how cold it became at night, especially within the cool rock formations that took up a large part of the jungle. They had chosen the spot for its sheltered outcroppings and all round view and though they had a fire going easily thanks to the dead wood that was dried out with salt even this far in (how far they did not know, but not far enough in to be away from the tang of the sea air on the breeze), they still felt the chill in their light Spanish summer clothing. They could hear the sounds of the jungle around them, the howls of monkeys and cries of birds unknown to them, and in the distance, the yowls of something more worrying. They knew nothing about the world outside Spain and what creatures it contained except that which was written in Miguel’s books. 

At a guess they would be big cats, Jaguars maybe; Miguel commented that they were unlikely to take on large creatures like humans and horses, but for his hoofed and unhoofed companions it did not seem to assuage their fears. 

Miguel moved closer to Tulio, who was shivering, just as Altivo sank down behind them. He pulled his friend against the horse’s warm body, thankful for him more in that moment than in any of the previous days they had spent together. He kept his arm around Tulio, who always seemed to feel the cold more than he did, perhaps it was the hard start he had had in life. Tulio leant into him and so many memories flooded Miguel of nights like this, huddled together in some deserted alleyway or doorstep, or camped out under the stars with nowhere else to go. They were so familiar with each other that sleeping curled up pressed against one another was as natural as breathing, though sometimes Miguel found it hard to breathe in those situations. As he held Tulio to him he thought of the revelations that had come to him on the boat. He knew he couldn’t live without Tulio, his best friend, his partner. But it was more than that, it was something he had always ignored, always pushed away and not addressed. That last day in the boat he had allowed those feelings to break free and run rampant inside of him and now he could not shake them off. The raven haired man beside him was what he revolved around; Tulio was his world and the most important thing in it at the same time. There had been so many dalliances, some fleeting, some almost not, but always they had ended up just as they were, together, just the two of them. The amount of fights they had had, especially over women, he’d knocked a tooth out once during a particularly violent scuffle; but always they came back to the same conclusion, the need for each other would never go away, no matter what the other did. They would always forgive, forget, and move on, never allowing something to come between them. 

Miguel dreaded it, that one day Tulio would meet a girl who would take his friend away. He secretly hoped it would never come to pass, but at the same time he wanted Tulio to be happy, no matter what. He hated being so conflicted, feeling so selfish and yet so selfless at the same time. He didn’t think Tulio shared his feelings at all, and so never let them show. He’d never put Tulio through that. 

Miguel awoke in Tulio’s arms and let a smile spread out across his face. Altivo was flat out beside them, his soft nickering making a rhythmatic soothing sound. He looked at Tulio’s face, which was close to his on the horse’s rising flank. He looked so carefree, the stresses of the day left behind as he entered a world entirely his own. His long hair was coming free of its tie and was sweeping across his face; Miguel gently moved a hand across his cheek, feeling the stubble there as he pushed the dark locks away from his eyes. Tulio moved under him, taking in a breath.

“Miguel.” He murmured quietly. 

“I’m right here Tulio.”

“Don’t ever leave me.” 

“I would never.” Miguel whispered back. 

Tulio made a sleepy sound and moved away from him, releasing his other arm from under him and letting go of him, Miguel dropped his hand from his face and let out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding. He wondered what Tulio was dreaming about. There was a great heaving noise next to him as Altivo came out from his sleepy stupor and lifted his head up, the shift knocked Miguel forwards and Tulio backwards, Tulio awoke with a start to have Miguel fall straight into his arms. He smacked his head on Tulio’s collarbone and the older man grabbed him quickly. 

“Are you quite alright there old boy?” 

“I would be were you not made of metal, truly Tulio are you made of rock?” Miguel pulled back slightly and looked at his friend, shaking his head to clear it. He felt Tulio laugh underneath him and he chuckled quietly. 

Tulio didn’t let go of him and Miguel was suddenly aware that he was lying almost completely on top of the other man, which wasn’t something that hadn’t happened before when he’d been knocked off of his feet during a fight, or simply tripped whilst day dreaming. But there was something so intimate about how they were now, by the cooling embers of the fire, Tulio still shaking off the slumber he had just been pulled out of and grinning in that goofy way he only did when completely at ease. Miguel hastily pushed himself off Tulio, eliciting an objection from Tulio as Miguel pushed him back into the dirt to help himself up. He felt his cheeks redden slightly just as Altivo snorted straight into his face as he turned away and flailed helplessly as the horse coated him in a fine layer of slime. 

“Oh you asqueroso caballo Altivo, bad boy!” He scolded the war horse as if he were a naughty dog and the horse just blew out softly once again, this time not over him. Secretly he was glad of the distraction from what he was feeling right now and the excuse to pretend it had never happened.


	4. Cleansing Waters

_“Changing legend into fact,_  
_We shall ride into history,_  
_Turning myth into truth we shall surely gaze,_  
_On the sweet unfolding of an antique mystery,_  
_All will be revealed on the trail we blaze.” ~ The Trail We Blaze_

They were soon up and moving, the jungle already growing humid and stifling as they left the cave in the early morning light. Sometime during the early evening they happened upon hot springs, after sourcing a meal of piranha from the river with gracious thanks to Tulio for yet again taking the ‘easy’ route and finding them food through his own misfortune, they both looked at each other as they walked towards the pools, the same thought alighting in both their eyes, but Altivo beat them through it, shouldering past them to sink gratefully into the gently bubbling water. He whickered happily at them and they took it as the cue, hoping for no more leeches this time, and flung their clothes off and leapt in, soaking Altivo whose horsey grin fell off his face as he shook the water off. 

Miguel couldn’t help but look over at Tulio as he relaxed into the hot water and remember the wreck of a boy he had once known, there were still scars on his chest from the night they had met. How Miguel wanted to trail his finger over them, he had thought Tulio beautiful from the moment he’d seen him properly in that low light. Such a heart breakingly beautiful thing that needed to be protected, but when he came back to Tulio’s home, he realised that he didn’t need protection, he needed adventure and to live a real life. 

He wasn’t an underweight lanky boy any more, he had grown into himself and become incredibly striking, though he would forever be slender, too slender maybe but that was the life they lived. Now he was solid as rock, not an inch of fat on him, just muscle and bone. Miguel knew exactly how solid and strong he was, having been on the receiving end of his punches more than once in recent years, months possibly. He smiled at the thought and sunk back into the water, trying his best to relax and ignore Tulio beside him lounging as if he owned the world. He adored the arrogance Tulio had because he knew underneath it hid a tortured soul he would not show to anyone but Miguel. He always took charge, always led the way and always got them out of the mess Miguel had unwittingly started in his capricious way. He was just the scatter brained wistful kid always saying exactly what came to him without thinking it through, Tulio was calculating, quiet and thought of every possible outcome and never said things without thinking it through first. He was the calm to Miguel’s storm, but he didn’t seem to know just how brightly he himself could shine when he wanted too. Sometimes he would get caught up in the excitement and this whole other Tulio would burst through the walls and outstrip everyone. But sometimes his arrogance caught up with him, he was the most stubborn being Miguel had ever met, and as was with the leeches and piranhas, he’d often let his stubbornness get him into just as much trouble as Miguel’s fancy. That was when Miguel was beside him, there to take away the pain through his own comedic goings on, to take the spotlight off Tulio and let him relax. 

Miguel had certainly let his mind wander too far when he was pulled out of his musing by a cry from Tulio, he’d been quite happy watching the monkeys and reflecting on the thoughts that had been plaguing him since the boat and it took him a moment to comprehend what was happening, it wasn’t until one of the monkeys ran past in his shirt that he suddenly realised and leaped from the pool and after Tulio, probably scarring any young jungle animals in his path as he did so. 

The next night was something he had almost forgotten feeling, when the storm came and they were forced to huddle together as the lightning clashed overhead and the rain fell in great sheets, he was yet again so thankful for Tulio, it made him think of all those nights spent alone and just how terrible they had been. 

Soon Tulio was the one brandishing the map, and vaulting onto Altivo as if it were the easiest thing in the world, not that he cut a pretty picture trying to stay on but this was the Tulio Miguel wanted to see, that bright star finding the fun and wonder in everything.

Finding El Dorado had been probably the biggest anti climax of Miguel’s life, mostly because he had been so sure, and had convinced Tulio only to have it come crashing down around him. He had let Tulio down and led him on a mad chase into the heart of nowhere and now they truly were stuck, what ever could they do now? 

He pulled himself up onto Altivo and heard Tulio chastise him. “Not with the face, stop.” But Tulio was too angry to realise that Miguel was not manufacturing something to get his own way, he truly was crushed and he knew Tulio was disappointed too, it showed in his sarcasm as he raved about it. His guilt was weighing him down so much he could barely hold his head up, and that was when everything happened. 

It all seemed to converge at them in one single moment of chaos and before they knew it they were on a boat with spears in front and behind them and realising for the second time in less than a week that they were going to really die. There would be no saving grace this time; they had come so far only to be brought back to that same point again. He was so glad he was with Tulio, yet it broke his heart to know it was yet again his fault Tulio was there and his guilt overrode his selfishness once more. 

He tried not to let it show, he kept his goofy grin and tried to make light of it all, tried to keep up his spirit for Tulio. No matter what happened, this was an adventure, their last adventure, he’d not let it end like it almost did on that boat. The way through the cavern pass was long and quiet and Miguel stared in wonder at it all, he wondered how many people could ever claim they had seen this place, and then he saw the glint of gold from within the girl’s parcel, whatever it was she was holding, but that was soon forgotten and he was turning to look in front of him in awe, the fog they had been in was left behind and brilliant sunshine blinded them as they passed through the trailing vines of the archway. 

His hand reached for Tulio’s between them, and as his fingers dusted the other man’s he felt them be grabbed and held tightly. He squeezed Tulio’s hand back as they slid out of the vines and onto a great river. What they had taken for blinding sunlight had actually been the sun’s reflection. The reflection on great towers of gold. 

They were there, they had done it. No matter what happened now they had found El Dorado, they had found the city of gold. Miguel thought he may lose his fingers from the iron grip Tulio had upon him but he didn’t care, to be sharing this fleeting moment with the one he adored was more important than anything else in the world. 

Miguel drank in every single detail, from the clothes the citizens wore to the colours of the magnificent fish that swam beneath them as they glided atop the clear water. They bumped into the dock gently and got to their feet, letting go of the other and standing tall, the awestruck expression not leaving their faces for a moment. They were escorted onto the pavilion before them and ushered onto Altivo’s back which caused them some confusion, but they did as they were, well not exactly told for the men had not spoken a word to them, more motioned. They rode through the parting crowd, sitting as close to one another as they could, he could feel Tulio shifting closer to him as they made their way towards the enormous (what Miguel expected was) temple steps. 

They spoke quietly, not daring to speak as they had done on the boat; instead they let the comfort of each other’s presence speak for them, though Miguel still managed to keep Tulio from despairing with his light hearted ways. A man stood upon the steps above them and cried out into the crowd about judgement, both men quailed at the thought until he approached them, did he truly just say…?

Gods. 

They thought they were Gods!


	5. The Tribulations of Sanctifications

_“I long to love you better but I swear I don’t know how,_  
_You could have been my future but I had to have it now,_  
_The things we love completely we are fated to destroy,_  
_My heart dances but not for joy.” ~ My Heart Dances_

Miguel had put his foot in it, again. He always did, did he not? He had not known how they pulled it off, but he would never have managed to do so without Tulio. He felt his heart pounding in his chest and he managed to beam and stand proud as he turned to face the crowds of possible Spaniard murderers. He put on his best act as if he were on of the heroes in his books; it was always easier than trying to be himself. 

Being escorted to the temple was not something he would ever forget, the exhausting trek up the great steps was something his body was not like to forget either. Once the curtains had sheathed them in gloom and the steps of the men had drifted down, the fear melted away to leave euphoria in its place and they whooped and cheered and let the trembling of their hands be turned into something they could control, lest they break down instead. They grabbed at each other, hardly knowing what to do, only knowing they wanted to touch the other, to make sure they were real and still alive and everything had truly happened. Miguel held onto Tulio as their elation died down slightly and they were able to stand still. 

But the girl… 

Chel, she was beautiful, suave and sultry and sexy and many other s words besides and she had them pinned probably from the moment she hit their horse face first. And she was a problem; Miguel tried to play dumb but inside his mind was screaming at him about demons in disguise and temptresses and how every single story that had a beautiful cunning woman in it had them pinned as the malevolent threat to tear one into pieces without thought or emotion. She swept in like an exotic beauty from a fairy tale and took hold of the reins and stopped them in their tracks like horses well in hand and Miguel was at a loss for what to do. 

Whilst Tulio was the one who was dead against it on the outside, Miguel was the one who from the moment she swanned into their temple knew they were in trouble. And it didn’t help with just how attractive he found her, they both did, the way she moved, the way she spoke, the way she left no room for argument or after thought. Like most deadly things they were also beautiful, a warning to those around her. 

Miguel tried to leave this to Tulio, he hadn’t a good record for making the right decisions and felt now would not be the correct time to start. But then she touched Tulio and he saw it, that split second was all it took. And he saw how Tulio reacted to her and how he rushed after her. Miguel jumped in, but it was too late. He saw Tulio reach out to her, wanting to touch her as she had touched him. She had him in her pocket (hypothetically, seeing as she had none, he never found out where she put the dice) and thus she had Miguel too. And the look on Tulio’s face was plain for all to read, he hoped the heart break on his was not also. He cursed himself, it was not his place to feel so, it was nothing to do with him. 

Wasn’t it? Didn’t the decisions Tulio made here, no matter how big or small, affect him as well. He no longer knew what to think, part of him told him to back off and keep out of it, and part of him told him to get in there and do something, and another, small part of him wanted to slink away and lick his wounds that were not his place to have regardless. When Tulio expected her to leave he truly started to feel the gravity of the situation, Tulio, who would happily swim without clothing with a group of people he’d never met before. Spain was not a place where prudence and pedantry were known to be. Miguel hastily pulled on his clothes and sauntered up to Tulio, hoping to make a jest and cause an explosion. And he did, but the warning that was reflected in Tulio’s eyes from his own were the only warning held in his companion’s face, he didn’t believe the words he spoke anymore than Miguel did. Miguel wanted to be so reassured by his touch and his words but the unease settling within him like a coiling snake did not go away for a second. 

He helped Tulio to dress, not allowing himself a chance to linger on the task as he once may have, and shoved him outside to the awaiting city. He had no idea what he should be expecting, but it was blown out of the water by what he experienced instead.

The music was incredible and the food was unlike anything he had ever tasted, not that he had been much privy to the finer things in life. The beverages were otherworldly in their sweetness, nothing like the rough taste of ale and lager and the other bland drinks they would be served back in Spain. 

Suddenly all of Miguel’s worries were gone, just vanished into thin air and he was dancing and Tulio was dancing and there was singing, he may have been part of it, he was unsure. He just let the festivity sweep him away, he could not help it, he kept his book character hero persona firmly on his exterior and somehow it seeped into his insides. He cheered and sampled and revelled and got overwhelmed and overwhelmed straight back, he watched Altivo stagger about and staggered about himself, though he was sure to not allow himself to do more than stagger, for he was a God, and was not the nectar of the Gods stronger than any infusion man could create? He pretended to drink more than he would have, and did the same for the food, hoping they would see him consuming unearthly amounts, but when he looked at the people around him he realised they all were used to such celebrations and he used to skipping meals because there was no money to buy food with. This was certainly something he would have no trouble getting used too. 

The whole night soon became a blur of colour and songs and he lost himself too it, surely it was what was expected of him as a God they worshipped so why not give himself over to their beliefs of the deities? 

And then they were back in their temple, the lamps were burning low and the palace furnished for them, someone had been in there whilst they had been soaking up the local custom for want of a politer phrase. He had his arm on Tulio for support, only to regret it when Tulio slid from Altivo’s back, the horse had carried them up the steps, he may have been staggering but both men were in worse states. He managed to somehow land in the one of the shallow pools that lined their room and he heard Tulio laughing, so reached forwards and pulled the older man into the pool with him. Tulio let out a cry and scrabbled out of the warm water only to lose his balance and splash straight back into it, which caused Miguel to roar with laughter. Altivo stumbled across the room to his quarters, which were actually a living space that had been decorated just for him, and they were left alone with their laughter. 

Tulio pushed the damp tendrils of hair from his face, his ribbon was gone and his hair was dripping down his back in raven curls, Miguel’s was hanging around his face like damp sheets and was plastered across his own face in a comical manner. He shook his head and tumbled backwards only to whoop with laughter once more and prop himself up in the pool. He looked over at Tulio, he had never felt so alive and so exhausted at the same time and he knew Tulio felt it too. Miguel thought he had never looked so beautiful either, if Gods truly did exist, Tulio was certainly one of them. 

Tulio got up and started trying to wring out his clothes, only to abandon such a task and offer his hand to Miguel, Miguel leant forwards and took it, letting his partner pull him up, and then it was as if a bolt of electricity had shot through them and they grabbed at each other. Tulio pulled Miguel into him, his hands on his shoulders as Miguel perched on the small step around the pool, he was almost tall enough to look into Tulio’s eyes now and what he saw there shocked him, he had only a split second to register the shock before those hands were at Miguel’s wet poet’s shirt and flung it to the ground and then they were out of the pool, their hands still running all over each other. Miguel pulled Tulio closer to him until their bodies were touching, his hands encircling the finer man and holding him tightly, pulling his shirt from out of his trousers and running his hands up the soft hot skin beneath. Tulio’s skin was almost feverish and he wondered if his felt the same. Tulio let go of him and shirked off his vest and pulled off his blue shirt before placing his hands across Miguel’s chest, feeling his heart beat wildly against his ribcage. 

Miguel looked into Tulio’s dark blue eyes and ran his hands up the hard muscles of his torso, taking Tulio by the waist and pinning him to himself. Tulio responded by pressing into him, his arms sliding across the others own and up to his shoulders. Miguel leant in, pressing his lips to the burning skin of Tulio’s sternum. Tulio shuddered underneath him and brought a hand round and under his chin, lifting Miguel’s face to his own and sliding his lips across Miguel’s unkempt beard until their lips brushed. Then Miguel pressed up onto Tulio’s mouth and Tulio leant down and deepened the kiss. Tulio was almost half a head taller than Miguel and drew Miguel to him, his hands leaving tingling trails across his skin eliciting soft gasps into the other’s mouth. Miguel’s hands came off his waist and slid into his damp hair, twisting it around his fingers and marvelling in being able to do so. 

They reached the large amount of plush cushions and blankets that created the bed and didn’t even seem to notice that the large covered futon was the only source of bedding in the room, as if they were expected to sleep together. Perhaps it was just how things were done in El Dorado, but Miguel pushed it from his mind, they always slept together, here would be no different. As Tulio took control and turned him he was aware that they knocked something possibly priceless off a podium and onto the floor, he heard it clatter before he stumbled and fell back into the soft bedding, pulling Tulio with him, a cry escaped Tulio before he was in between Miguel’s legs, Miguel had hold of him and pulled him down onto him, locking themselves back into the embrace as their mouths crashed against one another’s and were soon a tangle of limbs and lost shoes. He didn’t know why this was happening, nothing in his head made sense except this, this was happening because it should, it should happen every night they were together! Why didn’t it? He felt indignant at the thought and bit the bottom of Tulio’s lip, who complied by allowing Miguel to explore his mouth with his tongue. It felt so right, like everything in the world had fallen into place, but something was nagging, buzzing at the back of his mind, like an infuriating insect. He ignored it, losing himself in Tulio’s ministrations, letting himself be awakened in every sense of the meaning by the other man’s roving hands and hungry movements. He pushed his hips up into Tulio and the man gasped into his mouth and started to trail kisses across his cheek and jaw line until he reached his neck and took the sensitive skin in his teeth. Miguel moaned and pushed his hips once more into Tulio’s own and Tulio ground himself into Miguel in response. Miguel felt himself becoming increasingly turned on, even more so when they pressed together and he could feel Tulio’s own eagerness grow. 

He slid his hands down Tulio’s sides, a flash of the bruised and broken ribs of the boy he first met entering his mind and he stiffened, Tulio bit his neck again and all hesitancy was gone in an instant as he grabbed the other man’s belt and began to fumble at the buckle, he had it undone a moment later and started to pull it off as Tulio reached a hand into the waistband of his breeches and dragged his fingers across the sensitive skin there causing Miguel to drop the belt and buck up into his partner, which elicited a soft groan from Tulio who dropped his head onto Miguel’s shoulder and feathered kisses across the tanned skin. 

Miguel’s hand went back to Tulio’s pants and started to pull at them unceremoniously, he got them partway down and let his hands run across the now bared skin of his backside, revelling in the way his touch caused the other man to squirm above him, and then there were lips on his once more and he felt as if he were trying to not touch but devour the other man, to be as close to him as one could be possibly be, closer even. 

Tulio breathed into Miguel’s mouth and managed to form a sentence. “I want you,” he gasped, “I have a-” Suddenly his eyes flew open and he looked behind him. 

“Tulio?” Miguel struggled to get his companion’s name out and the other man shushed him. 

“Boys? Are you okay? Did you make it up here?” Chel’s voice floated into the room and Tulio leaped off of Miguel, sobering up enough to grab Miguel’s shirt and throw it at the younger man. He rushed around grabbing his clothing and pulling it on, ignoring the damp feeling of it he then collapsed back down on the divan bed and threw his arm over his eyes, pulling a blanket across is waist to hide his excitement, hoping his rumpled appearance would seem to be from the alcohol and nothing more. Miguel turned away from Tulio and clutched at a cushion, wondering what on earth had just happened and hoping he was concealing himself enough.

“Tulio?” She called and Tulio groaned pathetically in response. 

She crept quietly into the room and whispered. “Tulio, Miguel are you ok?” 

“A little too much of the wine I think, but otherwise we’ll be fine.” 

She came over them, looming in the dim light like an imposing shadow. 

“You look like shit.” She laughed at them, he saw her drop something onto Tulio’s chest, who turned his head away from her as if it hurt him to look up at her and she seemed to almost float away, her laughter blowing around the temple on the breeze let in as she slipped through the curtain. “Don’t forget the ceremony tomorrow.” Miguel chanced a glance over at Tulio who was fumbling for whatever was on his chest; he picked up something long and soft, his hair tie, and started to grope at his tangled hair. 

“We wultomuner.” Was what sounded like they mumbled in response before giving into exhaustion. Miguel’s last thought before he dropped into the blackness was that no good would come of what just happened, yet he couldn’t bring himself to regret a second of it…


	6. To Err is... Divine?

_“I see you in the distance and I see us as we are,_  
_So nearly so contented but a careless word too far,_  
_I see you in confusion for a once enchanted boy,_  
_My heart dances but not for joy.” ~ My Heart Dances_

Tulio almost fell out of the bed in surprise when Tzekel-kan woke them up. His clothing was damp and his hair a mess, he only got a second to ponder it before Miguel spoke up. 

“He’s back.” He whispered apprehensively beside him and something came back to Tulio. A breathy whisper in the flickering lamp light, hands upon him. 

Tulio sat up and shook his head, not a memory, obviously some very strange dream. He looked from Tzekel-kan to Miguel and raised his eyebrow at the High Priest, who graciously bowed and backed out of the room. He then looked back to his friend, his sarcastic expression changing into one of confusion as he looked into his friend’s olive green eyes. The eyes staring back at him were different, not the eyes he knew better than his own. He went to speak but felt the words die in his throat, instead he just kept Miguel’s gaze. 

They’d obviously sat there for too long as Tzekel-kan called to them from outside, without taking his gaze off his friend he called that they’d be out in a moment. 

“I…” He started but then fell silent. Something was nagging at him, something huge, but his head was fuzzy and pounding and every time he thought he’d grabbed hold of the thought it slipped away. 

Miguel put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, but didn’t say a word, the warm touch of his companion helped to clear his head and he took a deep breath. 

“Miguel, did something happen last night?” He winced at the way the words sounded, they weren’t an accusation but they rang in Tulio’s ears like a death sentence. 

“You really did have too much wine didn’t you Tulio.” Miguel smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. He turned away from him but not before Tulio saw the light in them go out. The sadness he saw there made his heart ache. 

“Miguel, please, I know something went on last night.” He touched a hand to his damp shirt. 

“You fell off Altivo, pulled me with you and I fell into the pool and pulled you in with me.”

That made sense; he suddenly could feel the bruise on his hip. He could feel something else there too, more bruises, small ones placed together. He pulled up his shirt and in the morning light saw a cluster of bruises above his hip bone. 

He looked down at them, trying to remember, images and sounds flashed through his mind, shortness of breath, the grip of strong hands on him, clothes littering the floor, legs tangled with his own, droplets of water splashing on his face from the blonde hair of his partner… 

Tulio let out a gasp and scrabbled backwards into the cushions as the realisation dawned on him. Too late he realised how he reacted, how Miguel flinched back in shock, Tulio gasped for air as he felt as tightening in his chest and reached for his friend only for Miguel to recoil from him. 

“Miguel!” He exclaimed quietly. 

He wouldn’t look up, wouldn’t reply. 

“Miguel? Miguel look at me.” 

“It was just a drunken mistake Tulio, no need to worry about it. We’ve never had such strong beverages before.” 

“A drunken mistake? What happened?!” He didn’t know why he felt so much panic, why he couldn’t stop his voice from rising. 

“Like I said, we fell in the pool.” 

“And then what.” He wanted Miguel to say he, he’d never felt so cowardly in his life. 

“We got out of the pool and-”

“My lords? Is everything alright?” Came the aggravated voice of the Priest

“Everything is fine Tzek just give us a minute, we’re discussing godly stuff.”

“Do hurry up, your ceremony awaits you.” His voice floated through the curtains once more. 

“Miguel!” Tulio hissed at his companion, “I can remember it, tell me it wasn’t a dream.” 

“How do I know what you’re remembering?” Miguel half sighed. “It’s obviously not something pleasant.” 

Tulio was struck speechless; not only for how he had foolishly reacted, but for how he couldn’t say if Miguel were right or not. He had absolutely no idea what to think. His cheeks were blazing red and Miguel had turned his shoulder to him, his head bowed as he picked at the embroidery of one of the cushions. He felt like he was nearly drowning once more beside that row boat, felt like his lungs were full of water and he was being thrashed around in a stormy sea. 

He balled his hands into fists at his sides and felt his whole body go rigid, he bared his teeth and brought his fists to his forehead where he pressed them into his face until it hurt, no longer thinking of Miguel beside him, Miguel whose face he couldn’t see had turned from sadness to concern. 

He swallowed hard and dropped his hands from his face, he wanted to yell and scream at Miguel only for him to tell him everything was alright and it made him feel even worse. How had last night happened? And Chel, she could have walked in on them, or she could not have, and it could have… He felt his body tense again and let out a long breath, that was a thought path best left untraveled. He took a deep breath and wiped a hand over his face, trying to coerce some form of strength into his body. 

“Miguel.” The tone in Tulio’s voice made the younger man look up at him; he kept his eyes on his hands as he fisted them into his trouser’s rough material. “Last night, it wasn’t… It wasn’t a mistake, but, well…”

He looked over to his fair haired friend and regretted it instantly, the look on Miguel’s face was agonizing, his eyes were hard and his mouth set as if he were readying himself for a barrage of accusations or reprimands. 

“I don’t think it is something that should be repeated either.” Tulio cringed as he spoke the words. He was sure he was doing the right thing, wasn’t he? Of course he was, he… That was to say… He didn’t do things like that; he wasn’t like that, he was sure of it. 

Miguel turned his face up and looked down on Tulio for a split second. “Neither do I.” He spoke with utter conviction, so absolute in fact it almost sounded cruel. Tulio broke his piercing glare and looked back down at his hands, he was well on his way to tearing his clothing and let his hands fall to his sides, suddenly feeling exhausted. 

Light cast itself upon them and Tulio fell back in surprise as Tzekel-kan bounded in with four burly men, who untied some pieces of fabric from the awning of their bed and dropped a cover around them, Miguel fell into him as they were then lifted off the ground and the understand of the canopy dawned on Tulio. He tried to ignore the elbow in his ribs as Miguel quickly pushed himself off of Tulio and Tulio tried to sit up, and then thought better of it. They were walking for what felt like hours as Tulio’s head throbbed and then as he had decided to just go back to sleep so he didn’t have to feel his partner’s gaze upon him the carry seat stopped. 

They were dropped to the ground and Tulio was glad he hadn’t sat up, and then heard the High Priest addressing the city. 

DÍOS MIO THE CITY?! CRAP! 

They both scrabbled up and tried to get out of the carry seat, only for Tulio to completely lose his footing. 

What a way to greet your people, he thought as he jumped up and hoped no one had noticed, Miguel on the other hand stood slowly, looking for all the world as if he was very, very hung-over. Which of course, they both were. They straightened themselves up and Tulio tried to smooth down his hair as he watched Tzekel-kan drabble on about the proper welcome for gods. 

Chel crouched in front of them and threw flower petals at their feet; he raised an eyebrow and caught her attention. 

“Psst! Chel, what’s going on?” He hissed at her. 

“It’s not gonna be good.” She replied hastily, not meeting his eyes. 

Miguel gave him a withering look and Tulio grimaced, why was that directed at him, she was the unhelpful one? 

When the tribute had been brought out Tulio finally felt like they were on the right track, but of course, Tzekel-kan derailed that in one word. Sacrifice.

Truly, the man has issues, and probably needed a better hobby, but when Miguel’s hand touched his shoulder the seriousness of the situation sunk in. 

“Tulio we’ve got to do something.” Which in Miguel speak meant ‘Tulio sort it out whilst I do something I shouldn’t’. Tulio tried to ignore the relief he felt that Miguel’s anger was no longer being directed at him and boomed ‘Stop!’ across the platform they were stood upon. 

Miguel rushed to the aid of the man Tzekel-kan had bound and between them they managed to give enough of an excuse to leave the man dumbfounded enough for them to get around him. Miguel’s eyes were back to those he knew so well as Miguel fobbed off the explanation onto him and he grabbed at ideas in his head until one sounded feasible. Tulio put all of his emotions into the long look he gave the Priest and the man faltered beneath it. 

As Miguel’s arrogance crept back into him and Tulio gave him a light smack, he closed his eyes and breathed in the fresh, moist air around them, hoping he could just forget this morning and go back to the way things had been the day before between himself and his partner. 

Then gold. 

Gold gold gold gold gold gold gold and it was flying past them into a whirlpool and Chel was talking about dead people and nothing mattered because the gold was going away and then Chel was there, Chel, brilliant Chel whom he couldn’t get out of his head. He watched her appreciatively as she sauntered up to them, clearly pleased with herself as usual. He ignored Miguel’s’ wide eyes as he complimented her and put his arm around his friend, feeling comforted by the touch whilst also getting him out of range of his own eyes so he could press on and not think about every single reaction Miguel had this morning. He steered his cohort after Chel and tried to let thoughts of gold overrule everything else within his mind. 

***

As they rode their not bed around the city they had the curtains open and the cheery atmosphere filled the inside of the shelter, they were laughing and joking and the whole issue of this morning had been all but forgotten, by Tulio at least. 

Miguel ignored the clashing emotions inside of him kept up the happy façade, he just wanted Tulio to enjoy this moment for it was exactly what he had wanted from the beginning, to see the look on Tulio’s face, hear the elation in his voice. To see his friend so overjoyed made his heart feel like it was trying to escape his ribcage. He’d be happy for Tulio, and push the events of the last few hours from his mind. It wasn’t his place to be forlorn, it was nothing to do with him how Tulio felt, what on earth had he expected anyway? 

Of course Tulio wouldn’t bloody remember, he should have expected it, or at least thought about the consequences of his actions a little tiny bit. Remember the voice, the little voice? Tulio’s voice drifted through his mind, taking on a mocking tone. At least he could just evade the matter thanks to the drink, blame it all on being incredibly pissed. Avoiding these types of things had always been easiest, waking up some mornings wrapped in Tulio’s embrace would just be shrugged off, those little looks, slight touches and moments during elation where their completely adverse disregard to spacial awareness would leave them in a compromising situation, all of those were ignored, avoided, forgotten about. Shut away in Miguel’s mind, locked in a little box labelled ‘wistful thinking’. 

It worked better that way, because otherwise Miguel would be overanalyzing everything, trying to pin down little details that might give him undue hope of Tulio returning his feelings. Anything was better than the constricting in his heart that he was feeling right now because Tulio did not return his feelings and had made himself very clear. Had Chel not appeared last night he dreaded to think what might have happened, no, what he knew would have happened. How he would have clarified that in the morning was not something he ever wished to think of. Worst of all because he had wanted it so badly and last night had been how it must feel for a man dying of thirst to stumble upon an oasis in a desert. Every day Miguel was dying inside and those little looks, those slight touches were all that kept him from withering away into nothingness and then as if in answer to a silent prayer Tulio had been there and not only there but all over him. It had felt so right and so wrong at the same time; he wished he could have spoken up, got some kind of confirmation from Tulio and found out what he was thinking. Learned what he had left unsaid. To at least have validation that this wasn’t just some lust and drink filled misconception.

But that was all it had been, and now his thirst was eating him up inside because he had been too greedy, he had fulfilled his idiotic need by rushing and left nothing over for after, nothing to keep him going once he had left the oasis that was Tulio. He had spent so long enchanted by Tulio and now he had ruined it for one alcohol fuelled moment of passion. Now there was not even his wistful thinking to keep him grounded, Tulio did not feel the same way. Tulio did not want him, did not care for him in that way. 

Tulio did not love him. 

The smile slipped off of his face for a moment and he caught himself before Tulio could notice and quickly changed the subject managing to let Tulio’s excited planning be seen as the reason for his change in expression as he clamoured for a reason to not join in with his friend until he could compose himself. 

Tulio poked his head out of the chaperone and hailed one of the men holding them. 

“Excuse me, could you take us to see Chief Tannabok immediately.” 

The man dipped his head and the carriage seat swung around and they trekked off in another direction. 

Soon they were sitting in front of the Chief and Miguel allowed himself to get lost in the explanation of the need for a boat. He allowed Tulio to take the reins as usual, he was never as good as his taller companion at lying and stretching the truth, instead he let the tension from his body go into his hands and his mind to focus on Tulio’s embellishments. Once he truly had to fight to not lose his composure, how Tulio could be so cool, so smooth whilst bullshitting his way through the conversation amazed Miguel. 

And then the deadline was posted, three days. Three days in the glorious City of Gold.


	7. Loosed Upon the Golden Metropolis

_“El Dorado Queen of cities, overflowing with excess,_  
_Every turn exotic, lavish, precious wonders numberless,_  
_Lead me now into temptation surely you would not deny,_  
_One who has come so far to find you, all your blessings save goodbye.”_  
_~ Queen of Cities (El Dorado II)_

Miguel watched the slender figure of Tulio pace up and down the crowded room. He was sprawled upon a small mountain of gold enjoying the beautiful sunshine that the drawn back curtains allowed to flood the halls of their temple. Tulio was prowling around like a panther, dark eyes filled with anxious thoughts. Miguel could almost hear his mind tearing through ideas and possibilities that the next three days brought to him. It was only when he leaned over to Chel who was shifting through the consecrated gold and presented her with the gold earrings he had been fiddling with that Miguel shook himself from his daze. 

He pushed himself off of the gold with a half hearted smile and turned himself away from Tulio without even sparing him a glance, lest his feelings be writ across his face like an ill written novel. There was a clatter behind him and then strong hands were pulling him around and memories of the other night, of that same firm grip upon him, stormed through his mind, for a second his eyes became unfocused and his mouth hung open before he pulled himself back to the present and looked up at Tulio’s sharp face. All angles and cheekbones and stubble and god dammit Miguel snap out of it. 

The look on the older man’s face was enough to put a chink in Miguel’s armour of gloom and he broke out into a smile watching Tulio flap about. He reminded Miguel of a beached fish in these situations, flailing about as panic set in. He walked off leaving Tulio to menstruate by himself and looked out over the city, something he had been avoiding doing due to its incredible temptations. 

Tulio quickly shut him down and Miguel laughed him off, but Tulio pressed the issue until with a ring of surprise Miguel watched his expression change completely. He was so used to Tulio condemning his ideas without a second thought, so used to Tulio exaggerating and worrying and over thinking everything and eventually calming down that he was quite stunned when Tulio dropped the guillotine on him so explicitly. He was truly enraged at the idea of Miguel going down into the city. 

Tulio was often the dominant one in their partnership; he was the one with the plans and bright ideas where as Miguel supplied the theatricality and comic relief, he had an incredibly positive outlook in life, preferring to let the chips fall where they may, and only seeking a good time. Tulio thought things through more often than not, worried over consequences and difficulties and Miguel just charged on through unless Tulio’s arrogance got the better of him (piranhas anyone?). He was used to Tulio taking command, and knew how to get around him, how to wheedle down that resolve and get his own way. He knew Tulio so well, knew how to exploit him, knew how to change his mind and knew how to cajole him into things. It wasn’t often that Tulio actually laid down the law but Miguel could see just how strung out he was. He dropped his hands, accepting it, because if Tulio was truly this worried about it, it wasn’t worth all the gold in El Dorado to make it worse for him. 

But the girl. 

He knew he said that a lot but, she was always there in those situations, right where she was needed to be, or sometimes not needed at all and was just there to be the bane of Miguel’s existence but let’s not get into that. He had to admit, he was finding it hard to disregard her charm. He really didn’t want to disobey Tulio, but that part of him was never going to win against his free spiritedness, he liked to think that was a large part of his charisma, and he found himself slipping away leaving Chel to cover for him. He could hear Tulio screech in exasperation and hurried himself down the temple steps and out onto the streets. He’d get over it, it wasn’t the first time and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time he smirked to himself as he looked around, where should he go first? 

Miguel walked the quite paths, revelling in the bountiful nature that was all around him, the beautiful birds that chattered above him as they caused rays of light to shimmer across his face, the quiet movement of sparkling water and the exotic plants the escorted him on his travels. As he walked he became aware that the streets, so usually full of life, were not only quite, but deserted. The distant sound of scattering foot falls made him whirl around, more than once he thought he saw a shadow disappear around a corner. He came out onto a square and saw Tzekel-kan’s guard surveying part of the city, and upon questioning him learned things he was none too pleased about. 

A commotion started beside them and Miguel went to intervene as he watched more guards harass one of the citizens, who was so frightened he fled before Miguel, leaving a placatory tribute in his wake. Then his eyes rested upon the fallen trinkets the man had knocked down and an idea formed. Soon he was strumming on a slapdash guitar and Altivo walked into the square. The war horse trailed two small children and held one on his back, looking rather out of place upon the well bred stallion. His Flamenco music frightened the children so he tuned it down, glad of an excuse to take his mind away from ill thoughts. 

That afternoon was magical, meeting the cities’ people, playing with the children and experiencing their incredible culture had him awestruck, how such ‘primitive’ men and women could have such a wonderful outlook upon life and how to treat the world made him rethink everything he knew about the advances of the modern world. He had stepped back in to the past when he entered El Dorado to find a city frozen in time, and yet they offered him a world more grandiose and spectacular than anything he could hope to find in his home country. 

And then a very angry Tulio happened to step into his way and he once again pondered the idea of Tulio being made of some form of stone. The ball connecting with his head and the twitching of his lip only served as comical to Miguel and he shrugged off the dark haired man’s chastising, he had no interest in being told off and wouldn’t let Tulio spoil such a wonderful afternoon. He dropped his easy expression as Tulio threatened to strangle him and toned down his voice. Instead of worrying, this time Tulio actually seemed frightened. Miguel sobered up instantly and questioned him, only to be interrupted by the devil himself, Tzekel-kan. 

This time it was the precocious Lord Tulio who put his foot in it, and if that didn’t cheer Miguel up a whole lot nothing would. Even Tulio blaming him couldn’t stop him from feeling the thrill of a daunting challenge. Why Tulio thought he knew the rules of the game was beyond him, though he seemed to have almost forgotten Chel was there which made him look over. 

He sounded, almost angrily resigned to what was going on, as if he were just giving up slightly, Miguel was impressed with himself. Then the apprehension of what they were expected to do hit them both and the relaxed expression on Miguel’s face was replaced by a look of dread. The look turned to barely concealed horror when the opposing team charged out into the arena, a cloud of dust in their wake. 

Suddenly the Priest was excited and that scared them more than anything to come, causing them to flinch as he gesticulated wildly. As he cleared the field and the men barrelled towards them Miguel froze and Tulio dropped to the floor, in another situation it might have been comical. 

The game started after a brisk explanation for Tulio’s idiocy and soon they were hanging off of each other for support, they had tried, really Miguel had actually hoped they could get far enough on arrogance alone but he was wrong. The game was literally impossible, how on earth the Chief’s warriors were doing it was beyond him. They were going to lose, they were going to be found out and slaughtered. 

“We need a miracle.” He gasped as they stood by Chel catching their breath. 

“No, we need to cheat.” Supplied Tulio with fervour. 

And then the girl stepped in again, Miguel couldn’t help but have a grudging respect for her tenacity, and they were flying across the arena, all fear and despair gone as the armadillo that had been casually stalking them turned out to be of use after all. Soon they were galloping around on Altivo like the gods they were pretending to be and everything was going well, even after Chel screwed up the ball change. There were cheers and a great roar of applause and Miguel’s eye hurt where Tulio had cracked him one in the heat of the game but nothing mattered, he could hear nothing and feel nothing but the elation coming from his partner because in that moment all the issues were forgotten, all the sudden boundaries and awkwardness gone as Tulio celebrated with him, he couldn’t even begrudge him for grabbing and twirling Chel for as soon as he let her go, he had his arms on Miguel and his hand on his chest, he wondered if Tulio put the thumping of his heart down to the adrenaline of the game instead of the touch of his skin against Miguel’s own. The look in Tulio’s eyes was beautiful as he stared into them and it was almost painful when Tulio turned away to be addressed by Tzekel-kan. 

And there it was again, that one word that made Miguel’s blood boil, sacrificed, this time he took matters into his own hands and moved past Tulio. He dismissed the Priest and his foolish ideals, he could bear the psycho cult elitist no longer and barely noticed Tulio trying to stop him, but he did allow himself a smug little smile when Tulio went to reprimand him and let it be instead. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears and his heart thumped wildly against its cage and he could feel the power thrumming through him. He had never been taken so seriously before and it felt so good. Everything was going to be fine from now on. 

Wasn’t it?


	8. Trapped Within a Golden Prison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to all you people figuring out what they are saying in Spanish ;) I had fun with it, Spanish is a fun language

_“El Dorado, golden prison,_   
_Sheer perfection, sheer despair,_   
_how can one who knows such splendour,_   
_Feel the answer lays elsewhere?” ~ Queen of Cities_

  
When Tulio woke and blinked in the early morning light his first thought was why could he see the early morning light? He stretched out his right arm and felt nothing but rumpled cushions and sheets, so he rolled onto his side. Miguel was gone; Tulio stared at the empty space beside him for a moment, feeling a strange weight inside his chest. Since coming to El Dorado their very natures had seemed to change, they did everything together, were as familiar with each other as they are with themselves.  
But now all that had changed, there was a barrier between them, a space that neither one had the courage to breach. Once waking up to find he was alone would have caused Tulio such panic, not since that first night in Alicante had he truly been alone. Not since Miguel had entered his life, they had been separated before, he had woken up beside women he had seduced the night before and they had argued and not spoken for days on end. But never had Tulio felt such a distance between them as he did now. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his hand still upon the cushions where Miguel should be. What was happening to them?  
***  
Miguel was awake at the first light of dawn, his mind wheeling as it had been since they first arrived here. He was a light sleeper unlike Tulio and all he wanted was to be out exploring the city, not sleeping the morning away. He stared at the canopy of their bed for a moment more before turning to look at Tulio. Tulio was deep in sleep on his side in what should have been an uncomfortable position but Tulio was like that. Miguel had a pillow on his chest and pushed it aside without taking his eyes off his companion. He had taken to curling up with a large cushion when he slept to avoid reaching out for Tulio in the night.

As he watched his companion breathe heavily in and out he longed to reach across to him, just once, just a tiny touch that would go unnoticed. But he daren’t, he couldn’t allow himself to do so any longer. Pushing his feelings onto his friend was not something he could ever do.

Instead he got up and pulled the curtains open; slipping out into the cool morning air, better that he is out in the city and away from Tulio, as far as he could be from where his heart hurt the most.

He spent the day finding more cultural experiences to sample, walking around the city brought him new joys as so many of the citizens would greet him, take his hands and kiss them and many would give him looks of sheer gratification. He felt the pain in his chest ease with each greeting and the joy that they no longer kneeled before him was overwhelming. He was shown through market places and given food to taste, the exotic flavours and colours were beautiful, he was taught how to use an Atlatl to shoot darts and shown how to make a Macuahuitl. He was taken to the outskirts of the city to see beautiful fields where small spotted deer grazed peacefully. The main foods they ate were birds, fish and to his utter surprise monkeys, though seeing just how bountiful they were it made sense in a way. They even ate Jaguars during ceremonies he was told. There was no farming of animals of any sort in the city or beyond, the outskirts of the city where the meadows and plains were had maize and fruit trees, and the jungle bore enough food for them to not need to cultivate as the Spaniards did. How they could live so simply and yet be so much more content that the people of his homeland amazed him to no end. They didn’t need so many material goods and ranges of food/land to be happy. It was such a wonderful feeling.

He eventually dismissed his guides and walked on his own, the joyful feeling of the city that had been keeping his mind from black thoughts could no longer keep them at bay and he just wanted to be alone. He walked back to one of the tiny meadows filled with brightly coloured flowers and sank down in the long, bizarre grasses that grew there.

He watched the river twist in and out of site of the hillside he sat upon and he could still from up here see the glistening of the scales of great fish that swam through it. Birds flitted to and fro above him out of the jungle canopy and their chatters and cries filled his mind and helped him to calm his thoughts.

Since coming to the city he had been filled with a sense of inner peace he never thought possible, but at the same time he was in turmoil because of his friend. He was just standing back and watching his friend drift away from him and he was too cowardly to do anything about it. Watching him with Chel caused his heart to twist painfully in his chest but at the same time all he wanted was for Tulio to be happy, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness. But to have it get to the point where it was easier for him to be alone, away from his partner was frightening him. They were never apart, every day, every night they were together. They ate together, slept together, fought together, won together and lost together. Decisions were made between them, ideas thought up between them. There was no leader, they were partners and had been for so many years. He felt tied to Tulio in a way he could barely describe, as if an invisible rope were between them grounding them to each other. They weren’t just partners, they were one heart split between two souls and he could feel the missing part of his heart like an ache in his chest. He could feel the rope being so taught it could snap any minute; feel the treads coming loose and weakening. It was the most painful thing he had ever felt.

He couldn’t imagine a life without Tulio, his life in Madrid had been so miserable and lonely, he hadn’t realised just how bad it had been until he had met Tulio on that fateful night on the borders of Alicante. Their meeting hadn’t been a coincidence, he didn’t believe in those. He had somehow been in the right place at the right time and so had Tulio, somehow he had ridden his stolen horse in the first direction that came to him and ended up there, they were fated to be together; it was something he had always believed. He had often hoped that Tulio would figure out his feelings for him on his own. He thought that being together with someone so long would just turn their partnership into something else, something more. He had just believed so much that they were meant to be together. So many times he had wondered what would happen if he were to just lean over and kiss Tulio, to take him in his arms and tell him the truth. But he never could, so frightened was he of rejection. He felt it better to be with Tulio and never speak of his feelings rather than gamble their friendship on a chance. And now everything had fallen to pieces because of him.

He eventually got up and wandered the city once more, letting children take his hands and pull him to places, showing him their tree houses and secret places, teaching him games and songs. But when the sun was in the middle of the sky and he found the idea of facing Tulio too much to bear he went back to the meadow with Altivo, who was much overjoyed to see the grassy knoll, though he spent a long time sniffing the grass in confusion, what on earth was this odd plant and was it edible?

Miguel watched the horse with only a half hearted interest as the horse pottered about and he sat there for a long time, watching the sun move into the afternoon and letting the sounds of nature try to calm his uneasy mind. Altivo was the first to hear someone coming and picked his head up, Miguel followed his gaze wondering if it were one of the locals, until Altivo whickered softly.

“You didn’t come for lunch, I was waiting for you.” Came the quiet voice of Tulio. Miguel immediately looked away, trying not to hear the strain in Tulio’s voice, the silent question.

“I’m not hungry.” He replied to his shoes.

“You’re always bloody hungry.” He heard Tulio make his way through the grass to his side and sat down heavily next to him. “Here.” Tulio held out a wrapped parcel and nudged Miguel in the shoulder with it.

Miguel held out and Tulio kept nudging him with it. “Come on, Miguel, you know you want it, Migueeeeel.” His voice had the sound of someone trying to be light hearted and failing.

He heard Tulio set the food down beside him and could hear him wringing his hands together.

“Miguel.” He spoke gently. “¿Cuál es el problema? Qué pasa?”

“Nothing is wrong.”

“Don’t talk as if I don’t know you, you think I haven’t noticed?” Tulio laid a hand on his shoulder and Miguel shrugged him off, biting back the words he wanted to scream at the older man.

“I’m fine Tulio; I just want to be alone.” He replied harshly and balled his fist into the grass where Tulio couldn’t see it.

“You wouldn’t know the first thing about being alone. We’re always together remember? You’d be lost without me.”

“I seem to recall it was I who had to save you and show you that being alone wasn’t worth it.” Miguel looked at his partner in irritation.

“Made you talk!” Tulio shuffled closer to him so their legs were touching. “What’s going on Miguel, what? You can’t even talk to me now?”

“What’s there to talk about?”

“A great deal actually, the coming days, the things we’ve seen here, our plans for the future, what I had for lunch, what I plan to have for dinner, anything is worth speaking about when I’m talking to you.”

Miguel looked up at him then and the sheer emotion on his face made Tulio falter. He reached a hand out to Miguel and took his arm, Miguel went to pull away and so Tulio tightened his grip.

“I’m not leaving until you speak to me.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” Miguel whispered.

“I want you to tell me what’s wrong.”

“There is nothing wrong with me!”

“Sí hay mierda es! Don’t lie to me Miguel, we lie to everyone else but I never thought you’d lie to me!”

“I’d never lie to you.” Miguel said in a quiet voice.

“You’re not telling me the truth, or all of it, I count that as lying.” He let go of Miguel and looked at him intensely.

Miguel swallowed and looked at his friend, he felt so much pain just upon seeing his face and it was killing him.

“Please Miguel, talk to me. You always talk to me; you think I don’t feel it? Feel this distance between us; you think I don’t know what started it?”

And there it was, Miguel sucked in a breath, he wasn’t ready to talk about this, he’d never be ready.

“Fine, if you won’t talk I will.” He paused, watching Miguel who had looked away from him. “Miguel what happened that night was obviously not something either of us expected to happen, but that doesn’t have to come between us. I’m sorry about what happened, we were both deliriously drunk and we’ve never been known for being terribly clever in those situations. Heck how many scrapes have we ended up in because we took the partying too far? I can’t stand this barrier between us. We’ve always been together, my only memories that I have from before I met you are painful and lonely and don’t even bear thinking about. It’s always been us against the world and I don’t want that to change, you’re my best friend Miguel, you’ve been the greatest thing in my life and at times you may make me want to strangle you, but I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I don’t know what to say to make this better, but I just want us to go back to how we were before all of this.”

Miguel was silent for a long time, he hadn’t looked at Tulio during his little speech and couldn’t bear to do so now, he heard Tulio take in a breath ready to speak again and cut across him.

“Have you ever thought that there is no going back, that we’ve both been changed so much but this experience that we’re different people now. I certainly feel like I am.”

“You’re still Miguel and I’m still Tulio, nothing will ever change that.”

“What about Chel?”

Tulio hesitated and Miguel moved away from him.

“Miguel…” He seemed to be reaching for words. “I’d never let anyone come between us.”

Now Miguel looked up at him, the honesty that stripped his voice bare was something Miguel couldn’t ignore. Tulio held out a hand to him. “Partners?” He sounded like he was having difficulty keeping his voice straight and Miguel’s walls came tumbling down. He took Tulio’s hand and they grasped each other firmly. “Compañeros.” He said half heartedly

Tulio got up and pulled him up with him and for a moment Miguel remembered the last time they had done so and what had followed. Tulio must have thought the same for he swiftly let go of his fair headed companion, Miguel tried to ignore the feeling of disappointment in his stomach and smiled at Tulio, best to just let him think his words had done the trick. Tulio stooped down and handed him the parcel of food.

“It’s probably cold now.” He rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously and Miguel unwrapped the tortilla filled with cooked meats, he could smell the spices on it and wrapped it back up and gave Tulio a beaming grin.

“It’ll still taste fine, thank you.”

“I’m going to go back to the temple… Are you coming…?” There was a plea in Tulio’s voice that made it hard to think straight.

“I think I’m going to go for a walk and eat my sandwich, but I’ll see you in a little while.”

Tulio stood there for a few moments, seemingly unsure of if he should say something, but then thought the better of it and walked away. Altivo came trotting up the hill after seeing the two get up and nudged the bundle Miguel was holding.

“Oh no you don’t, come on, let’s go for a ride.” Miguel slipped the package into his shirt pocket and vaulted onto the stallion, who trotted off into the jungle easily, following one of the many tracks used by the city’s people. He looked back at the meadow and replayed the conversation in his head. “Mierda…” He whispered to himself.

***

As Tulio walked back to the temple he still felt unease settling inside of him, he was losing Miguel and didn’t know how to stop it. His mind was reeling and it hurt him, hurt him so much that once he was inside the temple he didn’t notice Chel until she touched him on the shoulder. He leaped forwards with a cry and spun around to see her surprised and amused face.

“You do that on purpose.” He accused good humouredly.

“No, you just never pay any attention.” She smiled at him and walked around him to the gold he had been staring blankly at. “You know, it’s not going to disappear if you leave it.”

“I know that.” He replied blithely.

“Then how about you come out into the city with me instead of sulking in here?”

“I’m not sulking.”

“Oh yes you are.”

“I,” he placed a hand dramatically on his chest, “do not sulk.”

“You sulk like a little girl, get over it honey.” She raised an eyebrow at him with a smile and he gave in.

“What do you want to do?”

“I want to show you my city, duh.” He loved her sassy nature and he smiled at her words.

“You know I think I’ve pretty much seen it all from my carry seat.” He remarked.

“Okay, let me put it this way, you are coming out into the city with me and that is that.”

“Ooh I like a girl who’s dominant.” He smirked at her; she smirked back and walked up until she had to look up to see his face and placed a hand on his chest.

“I bet you do.” She purred to him and he shivered.

“You bet I do.” He took her hand that was on his chest and interlaced their fingers.

“Oh no, nope, we’re going out, you stay in here too much, you look like a little albino.” She drew away from him, keeping hold of his hand and pulling him.

“Hey less of the little from you short arse.” He pulled her back and easily overpowered her, pulling her into him and drawing her close.

“Did you just call me short Tulio?”

“I called you a short arse, it’s an English term, and I was merely stating a fact, if I were calling you it in Spanish I’d say ‘eres bajo’.”

“English? It’s not my fault you’re stupidly tall, is it a Spanish thing?”

“No, it’s a English thing, England is an island, Spain is next to France, and England is across the sea from France. You really need to get out more.”

“So you’re not Spanish?” She gave him a confused look.

“I’m half Spanish, but the English side of me is where I get my fantastic good looks from.” He gave her what he was sure was a dazzling smile.

“Did it give you your arrogance too, smarmy bastard?”

“Nah, that’s the Spanish. Now, I know you want me to go outside but we do have an entire afternoon to kill.” He pulled her as close to him as he could and leaned down to her slightly.

“Not gonna happen.” She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, when he responded and tried to deepen the kiss she pulled away and walked off, leaving him standing there. “Come on Tulio, you can’t be a spoilsport all your life.”

“I’m sorry, whose the spoilsport here, you don’t just kiss someone and walk off.” He called as he hurried after her. She led him down the steps of the temple.

“Do the people in Spain sound like you?”

“Me? No, I sound like an Englishman, as does Miguel. It weirds people out sometimes, the Spanish are very different to us.”

“It’s the first thing I liked about you, your voice; it’s so different to ours.”

“I personally love the way you talk.”

As they reached the bottom of the steps she dashed off, leaving Tulio to follow her grudgingly, she showed Tulio all of her favourite places, the market, the high steps where you could look down onto the arena, she even got him into a boat and crossed the river, though he point blank refused to step on one of the creatures that ferried them around El Dorado. As the afternoon passed away she grabbed his hand and darted into the bushes.

“Come on, I want to show you something.”

“More walking? I’m a god you know, where’s my carry seat?” He whined playfully.

“Shut up or I’ll give you a reason to need the carry seat.”

“Me encanta cuando hablas sucio.” He laughed and then cried out as she yanked him forwards in response and he nearly tripped, she laughed and carried on dragging him until they came out close to the waterfall that led down to the whirlpool. They were standing on the edge of a cliff that had beautiful rock formations carved and painted upon it that formed the layered tiers up to the platform where tribute was offered to the spirit world. She stepped out onto one of the ledges and stood right at the very edge looking out over the large canyon.

“I love it up here, no one ever comes to this place, it’s my own secret getaway.” Her hair blew in the early evening breeze and Tulio thought she had never looked more beautiful as she did in the waning light.

He came up beside her and put his arm around her and she asked him to tell her about Spain, he started out hesitantly, the memories bringing back that raw wound that was Miguel, but she pressed him until he was recounting their tales animatedly and dancing across the rocks swinging her with him.

***

When Miguel finally gathered up the courage to go back to the temple he found it empty, he sat down on one of the large cushioned seats and looked from the gold to their bed on the floor and sighed, perhaps it was for the best, he wasn’t feeling terribly talkative at the moment. Eventually he went to the bed and curled up, taking Tulio’s pillow and holding it against him, he stayed awake long into the night, but Tulio never returned.


	9. The Practicalities of Devastation

_“The more I learn, the more I see,_   
_The less the world impassions me,_   
_The hungry heart, the roving eye,_   
_Have come to rest, do not apply,_   
_The frantic chase, the crazy ride,_   
_The thrill has gone, I step aside.” ~ Without Question_

  
As Miguel lowered himself down the ladder from the ship his whole world seemed to be doing barrel rolls, the Chief knew, how long had he known? Did they all know? Díos mio, It’s not like they exactly made convincing Gods but Miguel realised they had severely underestimated the city. Why were they not mad? Why were they letting them leave with the gold? He didn’t understand it, but he felt such a fondness towards the Chief for it, never had he come across such people before. Such wonderful, welcoming and gentle people, whose generosity seemed to know no bounds. When he thought of the greed of the Spaniards and the ways of the Old World he found himself so reluctant to even think about returning.

He didn’t want to go; he felt the city pulling at him, tugging on his heart with every step, every breath, every word. Where once he could almost feel the rope tying him to Tulio, he now felt another rope, pulling him away from Tulio, a rope connected to El Dorado. The tug of war upon his heart was destroying him inside.

He knew, though he was loath to admit, that were it not for Tulio he would never leave this city. But now he began to question himself, Tulio had found Chel, how would their partnership hold up against their love? Maybe it wasn’t love, maybe he was just reading too much into it. He shook his head as he mounted the steps to the temple, no; he’d seen the way he looked at her. Tulio looked at Chel the way he looked at Tulio, as if when she was around, nothing else existed.

Coming up the temple steps, his mind whirling, every step getting heavier and heavier, it was almost a relief to reach the top and have to banish such thoughts ready to put on a smile for Tulio. He could hear talking from inside the temple, the voices of Tulio and Chel, there was no light hearted tone in Tulio’s normally easy voice and Miguel found himself drawing back from interrupting their conversation.

“Alright, the cards on the table. I want you to come to Spain with me and Miguel, mostly me… Especially me; only me, forget Miguel.”

Suddenly the constricting in Miguel’s heart became unbearable and he felt like his legs could no longer hold him up, but greater still was the anger that he felt rise up against he as he leaned up against the pillar. The anger soon devoured every emotion in his path as he watched the two take a hold of each other; Altivo came up beside him and stopped dead at the scene before him.

“Forget Miguel?” He glared at the two entwining bodies before him. “Well, forget Tulio.” He turned and stalked away, leaving Altivo to stare at his once partner. He heard the horse follow him, but didn’t wait for him to catch up, instead charged ahead, his anger leaving a burning trail in his wake.

Soon Miguel was running, he was running and running and running until he reached the meadow, where he dropped to the floor and let his emotions overwhelm him. Soon the hoof beats of Altivo reached him and the horse came to a standstill behind him. Miguel couldn’t even lift his head from his hands and Altivo nudged him gently, then sank down behind him, wrapping his neck around Miguel as if he could curl around him. Miguel’s shoulders shook and then he pushed his face into the horse’s shoulders as he felt tears start to run wet tracks down his cheeks. Altivo blew softly into his lap and pulled the man closer to him, Miguel put his arms around the horse’s neck and there he stayed until the sun sank low into the horizon and Miguel realised that there was to be a celebration to mark their last day in the city. He climbed onto the horse’s back and wiped his eyes as Altivo stood up slowly and made his way back into the jungle.

When Miguel and Altivo had made it back into the city the preparations were almost finished, at the temple steps were two golden thrones with plush cushions upon them. Miguel sank down into one and was immediately given a drink by one of the people, there were large buffets of food and drink and people were slicing fruit and cutting up meats whilst others were putting the finishing touches on decorations. He allowed himself to sink into a black mood and sat there watching the people gather and start the celebrations. He heard movement behind him and Tulio dropped onto the throne beside him without a care in the world, as Miguel watched him from the corner of his eye he saw him quickly tuck in his shirt as Chel came up beside the throne and touched his arm before joining her people. No guess as to what had gone on there. The idea made him angry, angrier than he had ever thought he could be at Tulio, oblivious, pig headed, insatiable Tulio.

Tulio spoke to him without even bothering to look at him, never once noticing the unyielding posture of his friend, he only had eyes for her and that made Miguel more incensed. The celebrations were soon well underway and Miguel barely moved, Tulio flounced about and drank and joked and laughed, though his normally addictive good mood was unable to penetrate the barrier of Miguel’s anger.

More than once throughout the night he could feel the Chief’s eyes on him and studiously ignored the man, preferring to allow himself to sink deeper into his pit of despair.

“Ahh, some send off huh? We’re finally at the ‘get back to Spain and live like Kings’ part.”

Miguel saw his chance to undermine his ‘friend’. “Well, isn’t King kind of a step down from God?”

“What?! whoa whoa whoa Miguel we can’t stay here, we have a plan remember.”

Why, why couldn’t they stay here, why could Tulio never see anything but the path before him, didn’t he realise just how much he missed out upon when he passed by all those other paths around him.

“How about… We forget the plan? Hmm?”

Before Tulio could manage a proper reply there was a great roar and the shattering of rock, the two men turned in bewilderment to see a great stone creature destroy the temple of Tzekel-kan and pull itself out into the night air.

Oh that was really just perfect. He felt Tulio shoot closer to him as they both cried out in fright, the cat like creature leapt down into the city and started to terrorize the people, behind it was the High Priest, his eyes glowing just like the monster before him. People were screaming and grabbing their children as the warriors fought helplessly against it, their weapons not even slowing it down. The stone cat turned its gleaming eyes onto them both and they backed away as it stalked towards them. The ground shook beneath them with every step it took and Miguel barely heard Chel cry as she and Altivo spun towards them, he leaped onto the horse behind Tulio as Altivo charge away from the temple towards the outskirts of the city. The rock beast bounded into their path and tried to trample them, Altivo swerved with a howl and Tulio pulled the horse around, yelling at him to go. The horse didn’t need a second command and bolted across the darkened city and under the gate towards the whirlpool. The stallion leaped up the large steps as the cat smashed through the gateway and onto the steps which crumbled beneath its paws.

Altivo lurched and scrabbled for footing before falling onto the cat, he hit the creature, almost dislodging Miguel and managed to aim a kick into its eye before pushing off of it and up the steps just as the cat swept its great foot and knocked them flying. Chel flew off and hit the ground hard and Tulio ad Miguel skidded across the rock and scrambled to their feet. They both saw the cat approach her and without thinking Miguel grabbed at the destroyed stone and flung it at the cat as she cried out for Tulio, all his anger and despair was forgotten and his only thought was getting them out of this alive.

Tulio ordered Altivo to get Chel to safety as the cat turned its hulking form to them and came at them, they had no plan, they had no weapons, they had no idea of where to run, but they had each other. They ran up the second set of steps and jumped into the air off of one of the stone cliffs that led the way to the whirlpool, all they could think of was getting to the water, but now they had no idea where they were going. They hit down into the bushes and managed to stay upright, and continued to run for their lives, they ran into a canyon that was dry as bone and hadn’t time to ponder what they were looking at because the cat dropped down behind them. They squeezed through the rock face and into the open as the cat barged into the rock, causing it to crack and widen the passage. It struck a paw through the opening but could not reach them and so they kept on running, unsure of what to do next. They dropped off of an overhang and onto a wide plain, they heard the cat roar behind them and the shattering of stone, they could hear it coming towards them and boulders struck the ground beside and before them causing them to skid about.

But the boulders didn’t stop there; they crashed straight through the ground and unleashed molten lava upon them. It splashed out of the openings created and rained down around them. Miguel had only ever read about volcanoes and lava and the terror he felt increased tenfold as he saw the flaming liquid around them. They stopped and turned to see the cat stepping onto the plain, but its heavy body cracked the volcanic ground and it sunk into the lava. Too late they realised what was going to happen when it stepped further out onto the surface and as they tried to back away the creature sank further into the rocky ground, causing great cracks to crisscross the plain. Its heavy paw tipped the piece they were standing on into the lava and lifted them into the air, they screamed as they dropped towards it and struggled to find footing, only for the entire land mass they were on to break under the ministrations of the cat and it crashed to the floor. They were flung backwards as the cat tumbled into the molten water and struggled helplessly.

Tulio grabbed Miguel and flung him before him screaming at him to move, they leaped onto the cat’s body and then they were running for their lives once more, across the creature’s back and onto its tail. Miguel barely registered that Tulio had put him before himself and kept pace with his friend as they struggled up the thrashing limb, they barely kept their footing and Miguel passed Tulio, who shouted for him to jump, before he could think to make sure Tulio was safe he felt strong hands fling him off the creature. Shock passed across his face and his first thought was Tulio, was he okay? Was he behind him?! He hit the ground hard on his elbows and chest and heard Tulio land beside him, he pushed himself up as Tulio gasped for breath next to him. He didn’t see Tulio’s relief but he felt the hand on his side and heard Tulio start to speak, only to cry ‘salir corriendo’ and push him aside as the beast reared up before them out of the magma.

They scrabbled away from the creature across the floor, ignoring the rocks tearing at their clothing and at them and their eyes widen and they leaped up as the cat flung itself at them, they ran once more, Miguel’s lungs were burning and his face was scorched but everything was still alright because Tulio was beside him. They managed to race up a tree lined passage and onto the platform above the whirlpool where the cat stopped behind them, they backed away from it and felt the ground disappear behind them, Tulio reached for Miguel and Miguel grabbed him back as they both looked down into Xibalba. They steadied themselves and looked back as a voice echoed out of the dark entryway.

There was Tzekel-kan, the triumph and madness etched across his face as he declared the truth about them to the darkness around where they stood. A light came on in Tulio’s mind as he held his friend to him and turned to Miguel.

“You’re not a god?”

Miguel glared at his friend, as his heart rate slowed down the anger rose up in him and all he wanted to do was shake off his friend’s touch. Tulio grabbed at his shirt and lifted him off his feet.

“You lied to me?” His eyes searched Miguel’s face, beseeching him to understand.

Miguel returned his fearful gaze with a hard glare and Tulio took a breath and continued without him.

“How dare you!” He lifted Miguel up with all his strength so he was above him and then flung him down harshly.

Miguel stumbled and managed to keep his footing; he wasn’t going to do this, he was too angry, they weren’t going to get away with it, instead Miguel took another route, he knew what he had to do and released his pride.

“Hey!” He turned to the Priest. “It was his stupid plan.” He gestured to Tulio.

Tzekel-kan looked at the two in confusion as Tulio came up behind him.

“My plan was that we should lie low!” He made sweeping gestures at his partner, pleading with him to play along, Miguel didn’t need to play, he had been waiting to yell and scream at Tulio for long enough. “But your plan was to run off and be all ‘oh look at me look at me, I’m a god’.”

Miguel felt the venom rise in his throat and whirled round, letting the hurt and the hatred take over his voice, there was no faking this time. “That’s not true!” He could see Tulio flinch at the pain in his voice but didn’t care.

“No? Who’re you kidding? You’re buying your own con!” Tulio cried at him in exasperation. Miguel could hear the expression in his voice, could hear Tulio trying to hold back and failing.

“At least I’m not dating mine!” Miguel spat at him.

“I…” Tulio faltered for a second, as if a sudden realisation had came upon him, but regained himself and continued with the façade, “ooh, low blow, listen mister high and mighty we’d both be sailing out of here with a mountain of gold if you had just listened to me.” He smacked Miguel across the back of the head and Miguel spun round, shooting his friend a poisonous look, it hadn’t hurt, but it had fuelled his rage even more.

“Well, now you’ve got all the precious gold and Chel so what do you need me for?” He cracked Tulio across the head as the man turned away from him and Tulio jumped in surprise at the force of the blow.

“Well, maybe I don’t need you anymore!” Tulio butted his head into Miguel’s and forced him downwards. Miguel could see the hurt in his eyes and it made him even angrier, how dare he be hurt after all he had done.

“Well then why don’t you just go back to Spain and I’ll stay here and we’ll both get what we want!” He pushed Tulio backwards and then shoved him off of him hard. Tulio ran back to him and grabbed him by the shirt once more.

“That’s fine with me pal.” He finally put some venom into that last word and Miguel relished it as Tulio hurled him backwards, only for Miguel to back hand him across the face as hard as he could as he yelled ‘fine with me too’.

Tulio took the blow and pushed closer to Miguel, slapping him as lightly as he dared as he stared into the burning eyes of his partner. “Fine!”

“All right!” Cried Miguel as he grabbed Tulio and punched him hard, Tulio balled his fist into Miguel’s shirt and through the blaze of anger Miguel saw Tulio’s expression and raised his fist as Tulio did the same. He wanted to hit Tulio with all his might but instead they screamed ‘all right!’ and directed their punch straight into the gloating Priest, the move well practised from years of putting on shows.

Tzekel-kan was lifted off the ground and flew back across the ledge, but before they could grab him he awakened the giant beast, a jaguar from what Miguel could discern now he could see it without trying to escape it, and they froze in their tracks as the big cat roared into life. Miguel’s hands tightened on the vine in fear as the cat barrelled towards them. Tulio screamed at him once more to jump and Miguel leaped backwards as the cat charged across the platform. He heard screaming as he struggled to not lose his grip on the vine and prayed to whatever Gods could hear him to not let it break. He couldn’t see Tulio and panic crept into him. Then Tulio was there clinging to the vine as he heard the cracking of stone above them, he managed to look up to see the platform shatter and rocks burst from it as it split off from the cliff face. Then the platform started to fall and Miguel was dropped down fast, he screamed as did Tulio as they smashed into the cliff side, the echoing scream of Tzekel-kan following them as the jaguar, ledge and Priest fell into the dark waters below.

As Miguel held onto the vine he heard Tulio scuffle on the rock face to look down into the water and laugh.

“That was a good huh?” He grinned and looked at Miguel and immediately his face fell.

Miguel shot daggers at him, how could he be laughing now, how could he be hanging there with that stupid smile on his face after what had just happened between them. Forget the life threatening danger they had just faced, Tulio had heard exactly what he had said to him and was now brushing it off as an act, he knew, he’d seen the look in Tulio’s eyes as his words bit into the dark haired man. Tulio bit his tongue and hardened his expression, Miguel knew that look, it said so be it, it was all he needed to see.

He hauled himself up the vine leaving Tulio behind and heard a great cheer as he struggled over the edge. There standing before him was the city of El Dorado, all waiting to thank him for what had been done. He couldn’t believe it as they swarmed around him and he felt his heart soar.

He knew what he needed to do now, his argument with Tulio had set his mind free of the constraints of his partnership, he couldn’t leave El Dorado, he wanted, no needed this life. As the crowd picked him up and carried him off he called to Chief Tannabok, he was going to stay in El Dorado, with or without Tulio.

_“It’s easy to preserve, got to know this heart will fall,_   
_Much harder to preserve on your own,_   
_It moves you and inspires you then it drives you to the wall,_   
_And leaves you so excited but alone.” ~ My Heart Dances_


	10. How Does One Measure Bravery?

_“Who's to say who's right or wrong,_   
_Whose course is braver run,_   
_Still we are, have always been,_   
_Will ever be as one_

  
_What is done has been done for the best,_   
_Though the mist in my eyes might suggest,_   
_Just a little confusion about what I'll lose,_   
_But if I started over I know I would choose,_   
_The same joy the same sadness each step of the way,_   
_That fought me and taught me that friends never say,_   
_Never say goodbye.” ~ Friends Never Say Goodbye_

As Miguel was carried away by the hoard of citizens he chanced a look behind him out of reflex and met the gaze of the man he once thought to be the most important thing in his life. He cast the man a questioning, confused look. He wanted to say something, but the words would not come. He felt a tightening in his chest and brushed it away as he locked eyes with the dark haired Spaniard, whose own look shadowed his expression, the anger was gone and the adrenaline fading and suddenly there was nothing but pain in the eyes of the two men, quickly replaced by indifference. Miguel would not let this get to him again, he was going to be happy, if Tulio didn’t need him to be happy; he didn’t need Tulio.

Miguel set himself down on the bed and put his arms behind his head; he let out a long sigh and let the contentment sweep through him. He was going to stay in El Dorado, going to live out his days as a God, with people who loved him and found inspiration in him, and who inspired him back. He would never want for anything, never have to worry again. Never have to shiver in doorsteps as the rain pounded the streets.

He felt the exhaustion of the day creep up on him as he lay there and closed his eyes, his last thought before he fell asleep was that he could hear someone entering the temple, but the thought drifted away as his dreams took him.

***

_“Too many years your heart has wandered,_   
_scared to make a final move,_   
_too many nights those boys have squandered,_   
_you’ve got nothing left to prove.” ~Trust Me_

  
Tulio stood upon the edge of the temple and looked down over the city, the wind was blowing around him and he let the breeze sweep away his emotions. Chel was still asleep inside the temple; Tulio had stayed with her last night in the living area, leaving Miguel alone on the bed. That look that he had given him last night had torn a hole straight through Tulio and he found himself feeling doubts about things he had never doubted before. But he wasn’t going to let it get to him; he wasn’t going to let Miguel take this triumph away from him. He was finally going back to Spain, where he belonged, and he had found love along the way. There was nothing else that mattered anymore. If Miguel didn’t want to come with him he couldn’t make it, but it was fine because he didn’t need Miguel anymore, he’d be fine, he wouldn’t be alone he had Chel.

He heard movement inside and squeezed his eyes shut, blotting out the pain inside of him, as Miguel came outside he stalked past him and back into the temple, he glared at the man who didn’t even glance at him and that made him even more livid. How dare he act like everything was fine, how dare he brush this off. No, no, he wasn’t going to let this get to him; he’d be the bigger person. He went back inside and started packing his gold, though he had no need too as almost everything had been put on the boat for him, he just needed to focus on something.

As he grabbed at those pieces closest to him his hand closed around paper, it was the map, the stupid crappy map Miguel just had to have, the map that has caused them so much grief and pain and put their life in danger so many times. He heard Miguel re enter the temple and pointedly ripped it up; it wasn’t like he’d be coming back.

Behind him he heard something smash to the floor, to find Miguel had knocked over his statue, well if he wanted to play it that way… As Miguel came up behind him and went to speak he turned away and flung the bag of gold over his shoulder, hearing the satisfying thump as it hit the younger man.

He paused into the entrance to the temple as his emotions nagged at him, he shouldn’t be taking it out on Miguel but he was so angry and so hurt and so exasperated he no longer knew what to feel. He wanted to say a million things and yet not one word would come to him. He turned and willed himself to speak, but saw Miguel putting his robes on and the words died in his throat, he couldn’t do it, he just couldn’t do it. He turned back to the entrance and walked away, each step like a needle to his heart.

***

Miguel watched Tulio turn to him in the reflection of one of the shields and held his breath, but Tulio just turned back and walked away, he spun round, reaching for something to say but the man had already left. He narrowed his eyes and set his jaw, he wouldn’t do this; he couldn’t do it. He wasn’t going to let this get to him. He’d be the bigger person, if all the years they spent together meant so little to Tulio, if he could be replaced by a woman they’d known for 3 days, if that was all he was worth to the man, then he wasn’t losing out on anything at all.

He walked out proudly as Tulio stood at the start of the steps and came up beside him, eager to show that he was happy and nothing was bothering him. He turned swiftly away as Tulio looked to him, he had nothing to say to him, but a small kindle of hope bloomed that maybe Tulio would speak, only to have it stomped into the dirt as the man looked away away, he grabbed at something, some small thing to say, anything, he faced Tulio, but he was already making his way down the steps.

He followed sedately, his legs becoming as heavy as his heart as he watched Tulio walking away from him. Tulio had never walked away from him.

At the bottom of the steps the Chief grabbed Tulio and Chel came up to him, she motioned to him with empathetic eyes. Miguel stared at her, all his indignation towards her melting away; she truly did care for him. If she could make him happy then he couldn’t hate her, he wanted to say something, do something but was at a loss. She stepped up to him and kissed him lightly and left him staring after her, his anger slowly ebbing out of him leaving confusion in its wake.

He came up beside the Chief as Chel hurried to Tulio and took him by the arm as they walked towards the boat. The Chief looked at him and gave him a disbelieving look before motioning for him to go after the other man. Miguel dropped his gaze to the floor and started after Tulio, knowing the Chief would make him go if he did not.

He kept his eyes fixed on the boat as he came to stand beside Tulio and took a deep breath, knowing that he was going to put himself through incredible pain by doing this, he struggled over the words, trying to keep his composure and kept his eyes forwards.

“Well, good luck.”

Tulio replied in kind, his eyes on the boat. “Yeah, you too.”

Miguel felt the scornful look as much as he saw it as Tulio stalked off to Chel and Miguel started to have trouble breathing, he could feel the constricting of his heart envelop his lungs and he turned away before it got the better of him, he couldn’t watch the man he loved sail away from him forever. It was only when Altivo ran to him in distress that he stopped and looked back.

There in the distance was smoke and the faint sound of gun fire, Miguel’s eyes widened and he looked to Tulio as the realisation hit them full on. A messenger ran to the Chief, gasping that an army was being led by Tzekel-kan to the city.

It couldn’t be, he should be dead, what had they done?


	11. There is No Difference between Audacity and Stupidity (But I Still Don't Regret a Thing)

_“I still believe, I still put faith in us,_   
_we had it all and watched it slip away,_   
_Where are we now? Not where we want to be, those hot afternoons still follow me_   
_Some day out of the blue, maybe years from now,_   
_or tomorrow night, I'll turn and I'll see you._   
_As if we always knew,_   
_some day we would live again, some day soon.” ~ Someday Out of the Blue_

  
The look Tulio and Miguel had exchanged was one Tulio knew so well, it was that hopeful, desperate look for Tulio to figure something out, the man with the plan needed to think one up and fast because they’d fucked up big time.

He dropped down and his mind quailed at the task before them, he panicked and knocked the stupid armadillo over and the plan splashed before him like a great wave. He could do it; it was only gold, wasn’t it?

***

Please Tulio, por favor. Miguel stared down at the boat with anxious eyes; please do this, please be alright.

The men hurried around before him and the Chief shouted orders as Tulio and Chel sailed towards the gate, as he cried for them to kick the pillars out it suddenly all went wrong. The sail wouldn’t come down, they weren’t going to make it, suddenly the entirety of their 7 years together flashed before Miguel’s eyes, and the last image was of the boat, wrecked and Tulio nowhere in sight. That bastard wasn’t going to die without him!

He yelled for Altivo and leapt onto the horse’s back, Altivo dived down the steps without a thought for his own safety and galloped across the river’s edge, Miguel jumped to his feet and crouched on the horse, Altivo hit the side and pushed off with all his might and Miguel willed him to go faster and jump farther. As Altivo sailed through the air and started to fall Miguel leaped into the air, he felt the wind in his hair and the feeling of weightlessness as he soared towards the mast. He hit the sail and grabbed it, using it to slow his descent and opening it to its full height. He hit down onto the boat, dazed and Tulio ran to him.

“Get off the boat Miguel or you’ll never see the city again!” He cried, and there it was, that voice, that emotion that he had been waiting to hear, the one that said I care more about you than I do myself, the voice that said so many things that had never been spoken; the voice of the most important thing in his life.

He held back his smile and pulled off his head dress to give him a second to school his face. “I know, you don’t think I’m going to let you have all the fun do you?”

Tulio’s eyes widened and he gave Miguel a relieved smile. Miguel returned it and grabbed an oar. “Come on, we’ve got a wave to catch!” He tossed the other to Tulio before he could let his emotions get the better of him.

He turned back to the city and saluted, knowing he was doing the right thing. He didn’t belong in Spain, but he didn’t belong in El Dorado either. He belonged wherever Tulio was.

Chief Tanni dropped the ropes and signalled to the rest of the warriors to do the same, the water tower gave an incredible moan as it dropped towards them, blotting out the sunlight. Miguel powered the oar through the water as the back of the boat was flung up into the air by the pounding water. He barely kept himself upright as the waves crashed around them and he heard Tulio scream, he looked back to see Tulio’s expression and then saw the gate looming ahead of them, he jumped onto the deck as the water smashed into the gate and powered them through it. There was a great sound as the mast was torn from the ship and gold was scraped off into the water. They hit into a stalagmite and Miguel lost his footing, he hit the side of the boat and saw gold flying over him and into the clashing water.

They were smashed into rock faces and statues and he could hear the boat threatening to come apart under the anger of the river and then the waterfall gate was upon them. Somehow they got the boat turned as Tulio screamed at them and Miguel screamed back. The cavern echoed with their cries and the clatter of gold and the thrash of the water as the boat collided with the gate, Miguel barely had time to leap as he was flung from the ship, he flew through the air and into the water, there was water in his lungs and he couldn’t breathe and the water was throwing him around like a rag doll and he could barely see the others. The cavern above them shattered as the gate was demolished and the water exploded through the waterfall. Miguel was desperate for air as he hit out of the water at a terrifying speed, but still no air came to him as he was dashed into the river like a stone.

He crawled onto his hands and knees and stood up, Tulio beside him already starting to celebrate, he grabbed Miguel and Miguel’s heart soared, only for Chel to hiss at them and him to hear the approaching army. Chel grabbed the rejoicing Spaniard and Miguel ran with them behind large pieces of rock, where they hid and watched the soldiers come out of the mist. They stared as Tzekel-kan strode purposefully forwards and into the river, only to find his path blocked by a wall of stone.

He turned in horror as the soldiers approached and Cortés released his anger on the man as he once had on Miguel and Tulio. He was dragged away, screaming as he saw Chel behind the rock. They all stood up and watched him disappear into the fog with the army.

He let out the breath he’d been holding and Tulio looked to him.

“Now that was an adventure.” He exclaimed.

“Yes, yes it was and um… There was so much gold!” Tulio sobbed into his hands and Miguel looked to him in concern. He went to reach out to him but Tulio regained himself. “I’m fine.”

Chel leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and Miguel watched his expression with scrutiny, something had changed about the way he looked at Chel. He bit back a smile as he got up and offered his hand to his friend.

“Partner?” He gazed down at his friend lovingly, and Tulio looked up to him, letting his expression change to one of blissful relief.

He grasped Miguel’s hand and let him be pulled up. “Partner.” He affirmed before doing their special handshake.

Chel called out to them as she leapt onto Altivo and they hesitated.

“But we don’t have a map?”

“We don’t have a plan!”

“Well, that’s what makes it interesting.” She replied with a shrug.

The men jumped on the back of Altivo with gleeful exclamations and were taken by surprise as Altivo reared up into the air, Miguel flew off with a thump and Tulio landed on him with a grunt. He rolled off of Miguel as Chel shot off into the distance. They both looked at each other with a grin and scrambled to their feet; Miguel bounded past and shoved Tulio to the floor, yelling to Altivo to come back.

Chel easily outpaced them and soon they had their arms on each other and were trying to catch their breath. Tulio swiped a hand at her retreating figure and straightened up.

“We’ll catch up it’s fine, it’s not like we have somewhere to be.” Tulio mused good humouredly.

“Or we’ll find out that really she knows exactly where she is going and she’ll already have a house and servants in Spain by the time we get there.” Miguel laughed and straightened up, his hand still on Tulio’s shoulder.

“I wouldn’t put it past her actually.” Tulio looked at his partner, his expression softening. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“What choice did I have, I wasn’t going to let you die without me.”

“You have so much faith in me don’t you.” He replied sarcastically.

“Not when I’m not there to save your arse I don’t.”

Tulio went to say something and then stopped. “Can’t argue with that, as many bad situations as you’ve gotten me into, you’ve gotten me back out of more.”

“What are friends for?” Miguel shrugged.

“Not friends, partners.” Tulio tightened his grip on Miguel’s shoulder. “You know, Chel said something to me on the boat.

Miguel furrowed his brows at his companion. “And that was?”

“That for an intelligent guy I can be really fucking stupid.”

“Well, she’s right about that.”

“And that I’m oblivious to everything around me.”

“She’s right again, Usted es ajeno.” He chuckled.

“Shut up.” He said half heartedly. “And that if I can’t even recognise my own feelings, how on earth could I consider others.”

Miguel let the laughter die down and looked at his friend closely.

“She also told me that from the minute she met me she knew exactly what was going on, even if I didn’t, and that she had hoped that she was wrong, but, there at the docks she knew she couldn’t do it anymore unless I could come to terms with things.”

Miguel raised an eyebrow at his friend and gave him a puzzled look.

“And then there is the Chief, the soppy bastard, who whispered into my ear that the greatest treasure in life is the one that goes unnoticed by all.”

Miguel just stared at him, for a well spoken man Tulio was awful at getting his point across.

“Miguel, I…” He raised his other hand, and then dropped it. “I’ve been really, really, incredibly stupid.”

Miguel went to give a mocking reply but Tulio’s eyes stopped him.

“I mean it, I’ve been a complete prat and I’ve taken advantage of our friendship, I’ve been a shit to you and I feel like total crap because of it. There on that boat, thinking I would never see you again, well. I nearly dived off the ship then and there. But I didn’t… Because I’d made a promise to Chel.”

Well, this was becoming an interesting conversation…

“I’m sorry Miguel, I made the wrong decision and it almost cost me our friendship.”

“I don’t think you’re entirely to blame for this old chap.” Miguel started but Tulio cut him off.

“No just listen. There are so many things I’ve wanted to say to you over the years and so many things I have refused to entertain because I was a stubborn arse. I always ignored it because I figured it was easier than trying to figure out the issue and I thought if I just forgot about it that it would go away.”

“Tulio…”

“I’ve been so caught up in everything and my obsession for gold for so long I couldn’t see what was right in front of me, what meant the most to me, what got me up in the mornings and kept me warm at night.”

Miguel swallowed as he watched his friend struggle to find words; he tried to ignore everything inside of him. Tulio wasn’t trying to say anything more than sorry and that he wanted them to remain the best of friends.

“It was a scary thought to me; it was something I couldn’t bear to give a chance because of how I saw the world and how I thought of myself. It wasn’t right, it wasn’t normal. I’m not so good with expressing things and being open about who I am, even to myself. I’ve lied to myself for so long I almost started to believe it.”

“You’re starting to worry me Tulio.” Miguel laughed nervously.

“This is coming out all wrong, oh bugger it. How can I put this, how can I say it without sounding like a twit.”

“Just say it, Tulio, you can tell me anything.”

“Okay, well…”


	12. Where Now?

_“I'd believe in anything were it not for you,_   
_Showing me by just existing only this is true,_   
_I love you, I love you without question, I love you.” ~ Without Question_

  
Tulio stood there and looked at Miguel for a long time, long enough to make Miguel feel uncomfortable, he took his hand from Tulio’s shoulder and tried to speak, but Tulio gripped his shoulder tightly.

“I really, really can’t do this.” He said without looking and dropped his hand to his side. Miguel tried not to feel disappointed that Tulio felt he couldn’t speak to him.

Miguel went to walk away and Tulio grabbed his shirt, Miguel turned to see his friend’s expression stripped bare, his face an open book, something so rare for Tulio. “I didn’t mean it like that you idiot.” He tugged on Miguel’s shirt and Miguel walked back to him.

Tulio moved closer to him until Miguel was looking up at him.

“I’m sorry Miguel, again, I’m so damned sorry for everything I said and did.”

“Tulio.” Miguel’s voice came out quieter than he had intended. “Don’t ever be sorry to me.” He replied, echoing the words Tulio had once said to him.

“Look, Miguel, I… Fuck it.” He grabbed Miguel around the waist and pulled him into his chest; before Miguel had a chance to react he’d bent down to him and pressed his lips to Miguel’s.

Miguel’s eyes widened in shock and he froze; his hands half in the air, Tulio had his eyes closed and he held Miguel tighter, Miguel stayed stock still and Tulio leaned back.

“Miguel?” He gave him a strange look. “Miguel, hellooo?”

Miguel was still staring wide eyed at him and Tulio started to let go of his waist, his heart sinking like a stone, he looked away and drew back. Miguel blinked and seemed to snap out of a daze.

“Tulio-” Tulio looked up at his name and Miguel grabbed his jacket and stood up on his toes and kissed Tulio, Tulio stiffened for a split second and then relaxed into the kiss, taking his hands around Miguel’s waist once more as Miguel pushed his arms up and around Tulio’s neck, pulling Tulio down to him.

Suddenly Tulio deepened the kiss and tightened his grip on Miguel substantially. Miguel responded in kind and pressed himself against Tulio; it was nothing like the kiss they had shared that night in the temple. Miguel could feel fire in his veins as he opened his mouth and let Tulio explore him with his tongue, he threaded his fingers into Tulio’s wet hair and let all of his passion flood into the kiss as they moulded together, as if they were made to fit together like pieces of a puzzle. He could feel Tulio’s heart thumping in his chest and could feel his own responding in kind. Nothing else mattered, nothing else existed but this moment, time had stopped, there was nothing but them. He pushed his lips into Tulio’s, wanting to be closer to him, wanting to be more than close to him. What was it he had thought once, they were two souls joined by one heart.

The sound of heavy hoof beats pulled them back to reality and Chel pounded up to them.

“I can’t leave you two alone for a minute can I.”

“Why, whatever are you talking about Chel.” Tulio gasped.

“Seriously, you think I’m blind? I knew exactly what you had been doing in that temple after the feast; you didn’t do a good job of hiding it.”

“You... You knew?!” Miguel exclaimed.

“Seriously, the entire city knew from the moment you arrived exactly what was going on, even if that arrogant sod didn’t.”

“Hey, you’re picking up our insults so easily I’m so proud.” Tulio mocked, he still hadn’t let go of Miguel and didn’t plan too.

“Honestly Tulio you’re useless, how could you not see just how much you meant to Miguel.”

Miguel felt himself flush and buried his head in Tulio’s chest, revelling at being able to do so.

“Because I’m an idiot?”

“Yes, yes you are.” Miguel mumbled into his shirt and felt Tulio chuckle in response. He lifted his head and looked at Chel. “Why are you being so nice about this?”

“Why shouldn’t I? I gave it a try, but I’m not going to expect someone to love me when they’re obviously in love with someone else.”

It was Tulio’s turn to flush red and Chel smirked.

“Still can’t say it?”

“I… Go away.” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Don’t tell the woman with the horse to go away!” Miguel hissed at him and Chel grinned at him.

“I’ll be over here; you boys had better hurry up before Cortés comes back.”

“Shit, Cortés.” Miguel whispered.

“Yeah, mierda. This could be tricky. Is that an armadillo riding on Altivo…?”

“We’ll be fine, as long as we’re together,” Miguel looked at Chel and the war horse, “why yes it is.” He looked up at Tulio and took in every detail he could. Tulio stayed silent.

Miguel narrowed his eyes at Tulio; he was obviously going to have to do it himself. “I love you Tulio, I always have.”

Tulio’s eyes widened and he pulled back to look at Miguel. He opened his mouth and then closed it again.

He swallowed and took a deep breath. “I love you too Miguel, I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out earlier.”

Miguel laughed and leaned up to kiss him once more and then let him go, grabbing Tulio’s hand off of his waist and pulling him along.

“Come on darling, let’s go get lost.”

“Darling?”

“You’re English, I’m English, it’s correct terminology.”

“Darling...?”

“Get used to it.”

“I’m half Spanish and you’re half American…”

“Come along darling, we’re keeping Chel waiting.”

“Just great, wonderful, you sarcastic bastard.”

Altivo nickered as they came up beside him and Miguel scratched his nose, Altivo turned to Tulio and nudged him into Miguel with a snort. Tulio laughed and patted his neck before walking off, pointedly dragging Miguel after him.

“Um, Tulio…” He pulled back against his iron grip and Tulio strode forwards faster. “We’re going the wrong way.”

Tulio stopped in his tracks, spun on his heel and walked off in the direction Miguel pointed to and Miguel laughed as he was pulled along.

“Come on Chel! Let’s make that trail blaze!” He cried out as she watched them with amusement.

Chel nudged Altivo with her heels and he trotted off eagerly after them, he jogged beside them as they tried to figure out what to do.

“I think the first thing we need to do is figure out where Cortés is and avoid him at all costs.” Miguel said to them all and Altivo snorted in agreement. He wasn’t going back to that stuffed shirted maniac.

“Our best bet is going back the way we came and maybe stowing away on a ship that Cortés is not inhabiting.” Tulio replied and they all nodded.

“Well, the stone that signalled the entrance to El Dorado is back that way and the cliff we fell down is in front of us, so I suggest we find a way up that cliff.”

“I know how to get into the jungle.” Chel exclaimed with pride.

“You do?” They both said in time.

“What, you think when I ran into you it was the first time I’d ever been out of the city?”

“Well, yes, we did.” Tulio answered for Miguel.

“Like I said, useless, come on the fog is clearing.” She kicked Altivo and he bounded off, her poor steering and riding causing both men to laugh and run after her.

When they caught up to Altivo and vaulted onto him, Miguel slipped his arms around Tulio’s waist and leaned his head against the other man’s shoulder as the horse started up a long winding slope, more than once Miguel had to get off and pull at bushes to create a path through, and upon giving Chel a measuring look she merely shrugged and replied that it had been a long time ago that she’d come here.

They had been riding for hours and now were walking beside Altivo to give him a break, but they had come upon the jungle and started to brighten up, though the worry was that the last time they had walked through here they had followed a very directionally challenged horse as they couldn’t see through the fog. They needed to find the wolf’s head rock that had been in a clearing near the river, but they needed to find the river again now that they were up in the jungle, that was their first port of call. They walked along the cliff’s edge until Altivo whinnied and they ran to him, there was the river below them, quite a way below them, and the path in front of them was a tangle of bushes. It was only when the armadillo started squeaking animatedly and pointing behind them that they saw where they were.

There, quite a way behind them, was a broken log overhanging the cliff face, which had been sheared off. That must be where they had fallen down the cliff. Miguel rushed over to it, ignoring the plants catching at his clothes and skin and forced his way through to the log. He was panting heavily by the time he reached it and he looked about the log and there, yes! There it was; his sabre he had appropriated from one of the skeletons on the beach. He brandished it gleefully as Tulio and Chel followed more sedately.

“We can cut a path through the jungle beside the river now and follow it to the wolf rock!” He exclaimed as they caught up to him.

“Is there no way we could retrace the way we came through here from it?” Tulio contemplated.

Altivo looked around him and took a deep breath of the hot air, horses had photographic memories and used scent to map the places they passed, they could find their way home from 7 or 8 miles away even if they had been travelling up a river on a ship and then had to return home across land. He was sure he could find the way to the wolf rock.

He nickered excitedly as he took in the scents of the jungle and shoved Tulio in the back before trotting off. The men looked at each other and then Chel, then back to Altivo, who neighed loudly to them. Miguel started first; he trusted the horse explicitly and knew his friends would follow if he went. Tulio went to say something, but instead followed suit with Chel on his heels. Altivo strode purposefully through the forest, all feelings of exhaustion swept away by the knowledge that he could do this. The two men grasped hands as Tulio got closer to them and Chel linked arms with Tulio with a knowing smile on her face as she looked at their entwined hands. Tulio gave her an innocent look and followed the horse, side by side with the two people he cared most about in the world.


End file.
